In Mexico, the trucking industry often points to the excessive paperwork, verifications, and regulatory requirements it faces in order to operate; however, in terms of vehicle safety, an apparent contradiction is observed: while there are numerous provisions for the circulation and operation of the units, Mexico still lacks a specific standard that establishes the safety standards that new heavy vehicles entering the market must meet.
This was stated by Salvador Saavedra, president of the Automotive Industry Sector of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (Canacintra) , during the AMDA Commercial Vehicles Forum 2026, where he warned that the absence of a specific regulatory framework is allowing the incorporation of units with different technological standards, which generates incompatibilities that could impact road safety.
“It is allowed because there is no rule,” he stated, emphasizing that currently, tractor-trailer trucks developed under regulations different from those prevailing in North America can enter the Mexican market.
According to the specialist, while Europe has regulations that incorporate dozens of safety standards and the United States has maintained a scheme administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for decades, Mexico still lacks a standard for heavy vehicles over 3,857 kilograms, even though its development began several years ago .
Saavedra explained that the project was worked on between 2021 and 2023; however, it did not progress towards publication.
“We worked on that 2021-2022 standard, first quarter of 2023, and just as I remained silent, so did the Ministry of Economy, they put it in a drawer and there it is,” he commented.
One of the identified risks is related to ABS braking systems . The specialist explained that most semi-trailers operating in Mexico use technology based on U.S. regulations, while in recent years tractor-trailers developed under other standards have been incorporated.
This situation can cause warning signals for a brake system failure to not be properly communicated between the tractor and the semi-trailer, limiting the operator’s ability to react in a timely manner.
“If the ABS of the semi-trailer fails and the operator has to perform emergency braking, the possibility of the semi-trailer squaring up increases and therefore would cause a road accident,” he warned.
According to data presented by Saavedra, between 95% and 98% of tractor-trailer trucks currently operating with ABS systems use North American technology . However, each year between 10% and 12% of units with different configurations are added to the vehicle fleet, increasing the need to establish standardized criteria to ensure the compatibility of safety systems.
The expert argued that the debate should not focus solely on generating more regulation, but on building a coherent regulatory framework that allows identifying which vehicles can be incorporated into the Mexican market and under what safety standards they must operate.
Among his proposals, he highlighted the need to clearly define which federal agency will be responsible for issuing and overseeing vehicle safety regulations, establishing standards for all types of new and existing vehicles, and verifying compliance with these requirements from the time of importation.
“The regulated industry must actively participate in issues concerning vehicle regulations. Otherwise, nothing happens, or we are left out,” he concluded.
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