In a bid to enhance the United States’ position in autonomous vehicle technology and compete with China, the Trump administration has decided to relax federal safety regulations. This move allows companies such as Tesla to apply for exemptions to conduct testing. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of staying ahead in innovation, stating, “We’re in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.” He further highlighted that the new framework aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and bring the country closer to establishing a unified national standard for autonomous vehicles. This decision is expected to give American companies more flexibility in developing and testing self-driving technology, ultimately strengthening their global competitiveness.