Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveils new proposal protecting Americans’ right to drive ‘Freedom Cars’
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has unveiled a proposal that would protect Americans’ right to drive what he calls “Freedom Cars,” introducing a new term into the Trump administration’s transportation agenda ahead of a key congressional funding deadline. The proposal, outlined in a letter to congressional committee leaders, would bar governments from requiring motorists to own vehicles with automated driving systems or wireless data-transmission capabilities, framing the issue as one of consumer choice. The initiative is part of a broader transportation blueprint the administration hopes Congress will consider before surface transportation funding expires on September 30.
Sean Duffy’s ‘Freedom Cars’ proposal centers on consumer choice
Despite its name, the phrase “Freedom Cars” does not refer to a new type of automobile. Instead, the phrase describes a proposed legal protection ensuring Americans can continue purchasing and driving traditional vehicles that are neither autonomous nor required to transmit data wirelessly.
The concept appears in a section of Duffy’s letter titled “Freedom Car Right to Drive Disconnected and Non-Automated.” Under the proposal, federal law would prohibit federal, state, tribal and local governments from requiring vehicles sold or operated on public roads to include automated driving systems or wireless data-transmission capabilities.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushes autonomous technology
While seeking to protect drivers’ ability to own conventional vehicles, the Trump administration is also advocating for faster development of autonomous transportation technology. Duffy’s transportation framework calls for expanded testing of self-driving vehicles, the removal of existing federal deployment caps and the creation of new regulatory systems tailored specifically for driverless cars. The Trump administration argues that the United States must remain competitive in autonomous vehicle technology to avoid falling behind foreign rivals.
Rather than limiting innovation, the proposal attempts to separate technological progress from consumer mandates by allowing both traditional and autonomous vehicles to coexist, according to reports.
Part of a wider transportation agenda
The “Freedom Car” language reflects a broader messaging strategy emphasizing individual choice. Similar to the phrase “freedom fuel,” which has been used by supporters of the Trump administration’s energy policies, the proposal presents driver-controlled vehicles as a matter of personal liberty rather than solely transportation policy. The consumer-choice provision appears within a larger section of Duffy’s plan focused on protecting motorists while modernizing the nation’s transportation network.
‘Golden Age of Transportation’
The proposal is part of a sweeping transportation blueprint that Duffy says will usher in what the Trump administration describes as a “Golden Age of Transportation.” In addition to autonomous vehicles, the package calls for expanding and completing portions of the Interstate Highway System, supporting permanent daylight saving time and scaling back several transportation and climate initiatives introduced during the Biden administration.
The recommendations are not yet law and will require congressional approval as lawmakers negotiate a new surface transportation reauthorization package before the September 30 deadline.