The regulation was folded into another piece of highway legislation and signed into law in 2015 by President Obama. The replica vehicle can only be registered with its year of production, not the model year of the car it mimics, and its engine must meet emissions standards for that year (meaning, essentially, all replicas will carry brand-new engines). However, the vehicle only has to match the safety standards that were applicable to the vehicle it replicates. That means any brand-new DeLorean only has to meet 1981 safety standards, and Espey says it likely won’t have anti-lock brakes or airbags.
Obama was smart.
