The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is preparing to modernize Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, opening a broader review of headlight performance, glare, vehicle lighting technology and alignment with international standards.

NHTSA announced the effort on October 6. The review is expected to examine headlamp height and aiming, glare reduction, LEDs, automatic high-beam systems, dusk sensors and replaceable light sources. It will also consider testing procedures for plastic optics and replacement lenses.

Review Extends Beyond Headlight Brightness

The scope indicates that the agency is examining more than how much light a headlamp produces. The process could address how lighting systems are designed, aimed, tested and maintained, including technologies that have become more common since the existing standard was established.

Adaptive driving beam systems are already part of the regulatory discussion. In February 2022, NHTSA issued a final rule allowing those systems on new vehicles and establishing performance requirements. The technology can direct more illumination toward unoccupied areas of the road while reducing light around other vehicles.

That approach is intended to help drivers see pedestrians, animals and obstacles without creating as much glare for approaching traffic. However, the latest review’s reference to international alignment does not mean the United States will adopt European adaptive-headlight regulations in full. The eventual outcome remains unresolved.

Glare Remains a Major Driver Concern

The review comes as drivers continue to report problems with nighttime visibility and glare. A March survey from AAA found that 60 percent of drivers view glare as an issue after dark. Of those respondents, 73 percent said the problem had become worse during the previous decade, while 92 percent identified headlights from oncoming vehicles as their main concern.

About one-third of survey participants also reported glare from headlights reflected in their mirrors. The findings highlight the competing challenges facing regulators: headlights need to provide sufficient forward visibility, but their output and aiming must not create excessive discomfort or reduce visibility for other road users.

Stakeholder Input Begins

NHTSA plans to use negotiated rulemaking for the review, with up to 18 stakeholders expected to participate. The agency is seeking comments on the proposed scope and committee balance, as well as applications from potential committee members.

Those materials are due November 9 under docket NHTSA-2026-1981. The announcement does not provide a completion date, and it does not create new headlight requirements. Any changes would depend on the rules that emerge from the review process.

For now, the initiative gives drivers, lighting experts and other interested parties an opportunity to influence which issues receive attention as the United States reassesses its headlight standards.