PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 13, 2025
Collision Avoidance Systems Act of 2025
This bill allows for the use of a pulsating light system for vehicle braking.
Specifically, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108 (Standard 108) must be deemed to allow for the use of a pulsating light system on covered vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, and motorcycles). The Department of Transportation must issue regulations to update Standard 108 to (1) include performance-based standards for pulsating light systems, and (2) allow for the use of the systems on motor vehicles.
As background, Standard 108 regulates all automotive lighting, signaling, and reflective devices. Under the bill, a pulsating light system includes a system for a high-mounted stop lamp in which the lamp pulses rapidly no more than four times and for no more than 1.2 seconds when the brake of the vehicle is applied and then converts to a continuous light (as a normal stop lamp) until the brake is released.
People & committees
Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11] · R–FL
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.1361 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.1361 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.1361 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.1361 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.
PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-13 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would allow covered motor vehicles to use a high-mounted brake light that briefly pulses before shining steadily while the brake remains applied. It would permit these systems, rather than require their installation, and would limit how long and how often the light could pulse. Permission would begin upon enactment, and the Department of Transportation would have to issue regulations establishing performance standards within 180 days.
(a) Clarification on pulsating light systems Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, Standard 108 shall be deemed to allow for the use of pulsating light system on vehicles covered by such Standard.
(b) Rulemaking Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue such regulations as are necessary to update Standard 108 to— (1) include performance-based standards for pulsating light systems; and (2) allow for the use on motor vehicles of such systems.
(1) Pulsating light system The term pulsating light system means a system for a high-mounted stop lamp in which— (A) when the brake of the vehicle is applied, the lamp pulses rapidly no more than 4 times and for no more than 1.2 seconds, after which such lamp converts to a continuous light as a normal stop lamp until the time such brake is released; and (B) the pulses described in subparagraph (A) may not repeat upon a subsequent application of the brake of the vehicle for a lock-out period of at least 5 seconds after the release of the brake described in subparagraph (A).
Starting on enactment, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108 would be treated as permitting the defined pulsating light systems on vehicles covered by that standard. This permission would not depend on completion of the later rulemaking.
(a) Clarification on pulsating light systems Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, Standard 108 shall be deemed to allow for the use of pulsating light system on vehicles covered by such Standard.
(2) Standard 108 The term Standard 108 means Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108, contained in section 571.108 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
The Secretary of Transportation would have to issue necessary regulations within 180 days after enactment. Those regulations would update Standard 108 to set requirements for how pulsating light systems perform and to permit their use on motor vehicles.
(b) Rulemaking Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue such regulations as are necessary to update Standard 108 to— (1) include performance-based standards for pulsating light systems; and (2) allow for the use on motor vehicles of such systems.
To qualify, a system's high-mounted brake light could pulse rapidly no more than four times and for no more than 1.2 seconds when the brake is applied. It would then have to shine continuously until the brake is released.
(1) Pulsating light system The term pulsating light system means a system for a high-mounted stop lamp in which— (A) when the brake of the vehicle is applied, the lamp pulses rapidly no more than 4 times and for no more than 1.2 seconds, after which such lamp converts to a continuous light as a normal stop lamp until the time such brake is released;
The system would have to prevent another pulse sequence during a waiting period of at least five seconds after the brake is released, even if the brake is applied again during that period.
(B) the pulses described in subparagraph (A) may not repeat upon a subsequent application of the brake of the vehicle for a lock-out period of at least 5 seconds after the release of the brake described in subparagraph (A).
The supplied actions snapshot, updated September 19, 2026, records House introduction on February 13, 2025, and referrals that day to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:29:09Z. 2025-02-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. 2025-02-13: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-02-13: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-13. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment warranting a finding was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI