The Trump administration is making changes to federal safety regulations in a bid to strengthen the US autonomous vehicle industry in the face of competition from China. This move will enable companies such as Tesla to apply for exemptions to conduct testing. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the need to out-innovate China and highlighted the importance of this decision. The new framework aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and bring the country closer to adopting a unified national standard for autonomous vehicles. This development is expected to boost the competitiveness of American companies in the global race for leadership in autonomous vehicle technology.