FMVSS

Updated: January 5, 2025

Definition

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) refers to safety regulations established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that vehicles must meet for legal sale in the United States.

Category: General and Regulatory

Foundational terms, regulatory standards, and overarching concepts in automotive software

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are mandatory safety regulations that establish minimum performance requirements for vehicles and vehicle components, often requiring specific software behaviors and safety system responses.

Related Terms

SDV

General and Regulatory

Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) are vehicles that leverage software to define and control their functionality, enabling advanced features and capabilities.

OTA

General and Regulatory

Over-the-Air (OTA) updates are wireless software updates delivered directly to vehicles, allowing manufacturers to update vehicle software remotely without requiring a dealership visit.

ECU

General and Regulatory

Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is a computer system that controls one or more electrical systems or subsystems in a vehicle, managing various functions through software and hardware integration.