WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - A subsidiary of a German

auto supplier has asked U.S. auto safety regulators to approve

the deployment annually of up to 2,500 autonomous electric buses

without steering wheels and other human controls, a U.S. agency

said Thursday.

HOLON, a unit of German automotive supplier Benteler Group,

asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for an

exemption from federal auto safety standards for its automated

electric bus that does not have pedals, manual turn signals or

mirrors needed by a human driver. HOLON said the vehicle's

autonomous driving system was collaboratively developed by HOLON

and Mobileye.

NHTSA said it will accept public comments on the petition

until early January.