Peter Simshauser, NHTSA’s Chief Counsel, oversees legal services across the agency, including the agency’s statutory authorities. His office plays a critical role in advancing the agency’s safety mission, including enforcing vehicle safety standards and overseeing investigations and litigation.
Prior to joining NHTSA, Simshauser was the chief legal officer and chief compliance officer of Motional, a joint venture to develop, deploy and commercialize automated vehicle technology. During his time at Motional, Simshauser led a team responsible for legal and related functions, including corporate compliance and government relations. He partnered with federal and state transportation regulators on evolving regulatory issues and met with regulators to obtain approvals to safely deploy automated vehicles on public roads. Simshauser began his career as a partner of Skadden Arps, where he represented public and private companies in a wide range of disputes including commercial litigation and government investigations. His work crossed many business sectors including healthcare, financial services, insurance, and product liability.
Simshauser graduated from Harvard Law School and received bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and mathematics.