Sara R. Bennett

Mobility and Regulatory Attorney

Sara is a regulatory attorney focused on emerging vehicle technologies, privacy, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. She advises clients in the mobility and transportation sectors on regulatory strategy, policy trends, and legal risks, with a particular emphasis on connected and autonomous vehicles. Her counsel draws on a decade of federal service, including senior roles at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of International Transportation and Trade.

Sara has in-depth experience in high-impact rulemakings and policy initiatives related to Automated Driving Systems, data use, and vehicle cybersecurity. She advised agency leadership and Congress on technical and legal matters and served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, where she helped shape international vehicle safety and cybersecurity standards. Sara also directed NHTSA’s vehicle cybersecurity incident response technical team, helping develop the agency’s operational response framework for real-time threats.

Her interagency work included coordination with the U.S. Trade Representative, EPA, Departments of Homeland Security, State, Commerce, Energy, and Treasury, and the White House. She also served as Acting Division Chief for Trade and Investment at the U.S. Department of Transportation, providing thought leadership on transportation trade policy and foreign investment reviews in the automotive sector through CFIUS.

Earlier in her career, Sara was an attorney at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, advising on privacy, cybersecurity, and trademark matters. Her federal service has been recognized with multiple honors, including the NHTSA Administrator’s Superior Accomplishment Award and the DOT Secretary’s Partnering for Excellence Award.

Sara is admitted in New York and Ohio. Her admission to the State Bar of Michigan is currently pending.

Professional Affiliations

National Academy of Sciences, Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Developments and Advancements in Transportation Technology Law, member

Community Involvement

Gigi’s Playhouse

Publications

Coauthor, Final Rule: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Automatic Emergency Braking Systems for Light Vehicles, Federal Register (2024)

Coauthor, Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Advanced Impaired Driving Prevention Technology, Federal Register (2024)

Coauthor, Final Decision Notice: New Car Assessment Program Final Decision Notice-Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Roadmap, Federal Register (2024)

Coauthor, Federal Guidelines: Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Safety of Modern Vehicles, Federal Register (2022)

Coauthor, Final Rule: Occupant Protection for Vehicles with Automated Driving Systems, Federal Register (2022)

Coauthor, Request for Comments: New Car Assessment Program -Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Roadmap, Federal Register (2022)

Coauthor, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Event Data Recorders, Federal Register (2022)

Coauthor, Request for Comment: Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Safety of Modern Vehicles, Federal Register (2021)

Coauthor, Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Framework for Automated Driving System Safety, Federal Register (2020)

Coauthor, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Occupant Protection for Vehicles with Automated Driving Systems, Federal Register (2020)

Coauthor, Notice: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Draft Research Test Procedures, Federal Register (2020)

Coauthor, Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Removing Regulatory Barriers for Vehicles With Automated Driving Systems, Federal Register (2019)

Certifications

CIPP/G, Certified Information Privacy Professional 2017 – present