WASHINGTON — Federal regulators on Friday announced plans to further evaluate the safety of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems, a potential precursor to nationwide standards for rapidly advancing self-driving technology.

The ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program, known as AV STEP, would create a voluntary review and reporting framework for companies with ADS-equipped vehicles on public roads.

“AV STEP would provide a valuable national framework at a pivotal time in the development of ADS technology. Safe, transparent, and responsible development is critical for this technology to be trusted by the public and reach its full potential,” said Adam Raviv, chief counsel for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The fate of the program, however, is unclear with Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk appearing to play a big role in shaping the priorities of President-elect Donald Trump.

Musk has called for national ADS standards to replace the patchwork of state policies across the country. But the billionaire tech mogul, according to Reuters, has also called for an end to existing crash reporting rules that he claims unfairly represent Tesla's safety record.

Tesla is an industry leader in ADS technology with the Autopilot and "Full Self Driving" features already available in its vehicles, but legacy automakers have invested significantly in developing their own systems.

Each of the Detroit Three automakers — Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV — has an ADS system that is either available now or coming soon to new vehicles.

Under current regulations, NHTSA explained in its Friday regulatory filing, motor vehicle manufacturers may already deploy ADS-equipped vehicles on public roads, as long as they comply with existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and state and local laws.

The agency has called for "everyone" to submit comments on the 265-page program proposal. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a top lobbying group representing all major automakers except for Tesla, praised the proposal.

"We’ve been critical of regulators for standing still on AVs. Why? Because we urgently need a regulatory framework for AVs in the U.S., so we don’t cede leadership to China and other countries," said John Bozzella, the group's president and CEO.

"AV STEP is a positive step forward and a pathway to ramp up the number of AVs operating on the roads under the oversight of the country’s primary vehicle safety regulator,” he added.

Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, was less supportive of the proposal.

"Expanding the deployment of ADS — and without the safety protections provided by FMVSSs — at this time seems premature and lacks independent research and data to support the action," she said.

"This (proposal) ignores the havoc created by vehicles with ADS already on the roads and opens the floodgates for more of them with even fewer safety protections," she added. "The promise of data collection should not come at the peril of all road users."

Instead, Chase said, "NHTSA should be bringing requirements for congressionally-mandated, proven safety systems over the finish line, including AEB for commercial motor vehicles, impaired driving prevention systems and detection and alert systems to prevent pediatric heatstroke."

Advocates for self-driving technology have hailed it as a revolutionary breakthrough that could slash the number of road deaths in the United States, which usually exceeds 40,000 each year, but high-profile crashes involving ADS have fueled some public skepticism.

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