North America: Transport

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed to end its long-standing general prohibition on overland civil supersonic flight and to allow supersonic overland flights in the U.S. so long as operators...

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a groundbreaking rule that would replace the decades-old prohibition on supersonic flight over land with a noise-based standard, potentially revolutionizing civil aviation. This regulatory shift represents a significant departure from traditional prescriptive rulemaking toward performance-based standards that give operators flexibility in demonstrating compliance.

Bill C‑31 would transfer to the Minister of Transport responsibilities currently exercised by the Canadian Transportation Agency regarding the processing of complaints.

Commercial nuclear maritime is ramping up with key developments from the US government and industry setting the stage for future progress.

The International Maritime Organization has adopted a groundbreaking regulatory framework for autonomous shipping that will reshape maritime operations. This analysis examines the four-tiered MASS Code system, from automated decision-support to fully autonomous vessels, and explores how Canada's existing oversight policies may inform future adoption. Critical questions remain about liability allocation, insurance coverage, and the applicability of traditional maritime law when human decision-makers are remo

The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry has introduced updated guidance on the Yacht Engaged in Trade (YET) regime, a framework that allows privately registered yachts to engage in limited commercial charter activity while maintaining their pleasure yacht status.

The Trump administration has issued new guidance on federal motor vehicle tampering enforcement, aiming to clarify when individuals can legally repair their own vehicles under the Clean Air Act. While framed as expanding "Right to Repair" freedoms, the policy largely reaffirms EPA's longstanding position that repairs with a reasonable basis for not adversely affecting emissions are permissible, though questions remain about state enforcement and onboard diagnostics systems.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has removed 12 electronic logging devices from its registry due to safety and security failures, bringing the total to 79 devices removed since January 2025. Motor carriers now face a 60-day deadline to replace non-compliant ELDs while the agency simultaneously eliminates the requirement to keep physical user manuals in vehicles, raising questions about whether these measures adequately address underlying software vulnerabilities in the ELD market.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed sweeping changes to federal brake system standards to accommodate autonomous vehicles without traditional driver controls, while simultaneously withdrawing its voluntary AV STEP oversight program. These parallel actions signal a fundamental shift in how federal regulators approach the certification and deployment of self-driving vehicle technology on public roads.