National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. This document describes a new collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval titled Examining Distraction and Driver Monitoring Systems to Improve Driver Safety. A Federal Register Notice with a 60- day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on July 14, 2023. Four comments were received during the comment period. This 30-day notice includes a summary of those comments, responses to the comments (no changes to the study are expected as a result of the comments), and an update to the estimated burden hours from the 60-day notice.

This notice proposes to establish two new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) specifying performance requirements for all motor vehicles that use hydrogen as a fuel source. The proposed standards are based on Global Technical Regulation (GTR) No. 13. FMVSS No. 307, "Fuel system integrity of hydrogen vehicles," which would specify requirements for the integrity of the fuel system in hydrogen vehicles during normal vehicle operations and after crashes. FMVSS No. 308, "Compressed hydrogen storage system integrity," would specify requirements for the compressed hydrogen storage system to ensure the safe storage of hydrogen onboard vehicles. The two proposed standards would reduce deaths and injuries that could occur as a result of fires due to hydrogen fuel leakages and/or explosion of the hydrogen storage system.

Consistent with a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle safety, NHTSA proposes to establish Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 305a to replace FMVSS No. 305, "Electric- powered vehicles: Electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protection." Among other improvements, FMVSS No. 305a would apply to light and heavy vehicles and would have performance and risk mitigation requirements for the propulsion battery. Relating to a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation, FMVSS No. 305a would also require manufacturers to submit standardized emergency response information for inclusion on NHTSA's website that would assist first and second responders handling electric vehicles.

Michelin North America, Inc. (MNA) has determined that certain Michelin X Works D tires do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 119, New Pneumatic Tires for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kilograms (10,000) pounds, Speciality Tires, and Tires for Motorcycles. MNA filed a noncompliance report dated December 16, 2022, and January 11, 2023, and subsequently petitioned NHTSA (the "Agency") on January 10, 2023, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt of MNA's petition.

Michelin North America, Inc. (MNA) has determined that certain Michelin LTX AT2 tires do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Radial Tires For Light Vehicles. MNA filed an original noncompliance report dated April 14, 2023, and later amended the report on July 3, 2023. MNA subsequently petitioned NHTSA (the ``Agency'') on April 17, 2023, and later amended the petition on July 6, 2023, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt of MNA's petition.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is finalizing minor technical amendments to the test procedures for heavy- duty engines and vehicles to improve accuracy and reduce testing burden. These amendments affect the certification procedures for fuel efficiency standards and related requirements. These amendments increase compliance flexibility, harmonize with other requirements, add clarity, correct errors, and streamline the regulations. Given the nature of these changes, NHTSA does not expect either significant environmental impacts or significant economic impacts for any sector.

This final decision responds to petitions filed by several low volume manufacturers requesting exemption from the generally applicable corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for several model years (MYs). The low volume manufacturers and MYs are as follows: Aston Martin Lagonda Limited for MYs 2008-2023, Ferrari N.V. for MYs 2016- 2018 and 2020, Koenigsegg Automotive AB for MYs 2015 and 2018-2023, McLaren Automotive for MYs 2012-2023, Mobility Ventures LLC for MYs 2014-2016, Pagani Automobili S.p.A for MYs 2014 and 2016-2023, and Spyker Automobielen B.V. for MYs 2008-2010. NHTSA is exempting these manufacturers from the generally applicable CAFE standards for the model years listed and establishing alternative standards for each manufacturer at the levels stated below, which the agency has determined to be maximum feasible for each of those manufacturers for the model years in question.

This document grants in full the Toyota Motor North America, Inc.'s (Toyota) petition for exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (theft prevention standard) for its Subaru Solterra vehicle line beginning in model year (MY) 2025. The petition is granted because the Agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the theft prevention standard. Toyota also requested confidential treatment for specific information in its petition. Therefore, no confidential information provided for purposes of this notice has been disclosed.

Polaris Group of America, Inc., (Polaris), has determined that certain motorcycles manufactured by Indian Motorcycle Company do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Indian Motorcycle Company, on behalf of Polaris, filed an original noncompliance report dated April 13, 2022, and later amended the report on September 9, 2022. Polaris petitioned NHTSA on May 13, 2022, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces the denial of Polaris's petition.

Consolidated Glass & Mirror, LLC (CGM), a subsidiary of Guardian Industries Corporation (Guardian), has determined that certain laminated glass parts do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 205, Glazing Materials. CGM filed two separate noncompliance reports dated December 14, 2018, and April 15, 2020, and petitioned NHTSA on December 20, 2018 and May 23, 2018, respectively, for decisions that the subject noncompliances are inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces the denial of the petitions.

This document initiates rulemaking that would gather the information necessary to develop performance requirements and require that new passenger motor vehicles be equipped with advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology through a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS). In this document, NHTSA presents its various activities related to preventing drunk and impaired driving and discusses the current state of advanced impaired driving technology. NHTSA also asks many questions to gather the information necessary to develop a notice of proposed rulemaking on advanced drunk and impaired driving technology.