H.R. 3649: Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025, aims to enhance safety for cyclists and other vulnerable road users by establishing stricter requirements for automatic emergency braking systems in new vehicles. Here’s a summary of what the bill entails:

Key Provisions

• Performance Standards: The bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish minimum performance standards for automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) that must be installed in new covered vehicles. These systems need to be capable of:
• Functioning effectively in different lighting conditions, including daylight and low light.
• Meeting specified maximum activation speed thresholds relevant to the vehicle’s capabilities.
• Detecting and responding promptly to vulnerable road users, which includes recognizing a variety of skin tones, clothing, and protective gear colors.
• Compliance Timeline: The Secretary is required to issue these standards within three years after the bill becomes law. Following the issuance, vehicles will have a compliance date set at no later than two model years after the final rules are adopted.

Definitions

The bill includes several important definitions to clarify its terms:

• Automatic Emergency Braking System: Defined as per existing regulations to ensure a standardized understanding.
• Covered Vehicle: This term refers to passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or less.
• Vulnerable Road User: This includes cyclists, motorcyclists, and other non-motorized road users who may be at risk in traffic situations.

Objectives

The primary objective of this legislation is to improve safety measures for cyclists and other vulnerable groups on the road by ensuring that new vehicles are equipped with advanced safety technologies capable of preventing accidents involving these users.

Relevant Companies

• Ford Motor Company (F) - As a major manufacturer of passenger vehicles, Ford would be required to update their new models to comply with the new automatic emergency braking standards.
• Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) - With a wide range of covered vehicles, compliance with these new regulations may affect their manufacturing processes and costs.
• General Motors Company (GM) - GM would need to implement the enhanced AEB systems in their vehicles to meet the new safety standards mandated by this bill.