The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing further delays to its New Car Assessment Program, the crash-testing initiative that produces the star ratings millions of consumers rely on when shopping for a vehicle. The move underscores a growing concern that NHTSA is falling behind on multiple fronts, with the NCAP already operating on a stalled timeline as the agency struggles to modernize its testing protocols and keep pace with advances in vehicle safety technology. Critics argue that the delays could leave a gap in consumer information at a time when automakers are rolling out new models with increasingly complex safety systems. The proposal raises questions about whether NHTSA has the resources and political will to fulfill its core mission of protecting American drivers.
NHTSA is proposing delays to the already laggard New Car Assessment Program, part of a larger pattern of tardiness by the agency.
