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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval to conduct an experiment to gather both objective and subjective data regarding occupant/passenger seat preference in Automated Driving System- Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate a previously approved information collection with modification. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on Vehicle Owner's Manual Requirements for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment. NHTSA is requesting a modification of the information collection to include regulatory changes made by NHTSA's Adaptive Driving Beam Headlamps final rule. NHTSA is also requesting modification to include requirements for owner's manuals in NHTSA's existing regulations.

This document amends NHTSA's lighting standard to permit the certification of adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlamps. ADB headlamps utilize technology that actively modifies a vehicle's headlamp beams to provide more illumination while not glaring other vehicles. The requirements adopted today are intended to amend the lighting standard to permit this technology and establish performance requirements for these systems to ensure that they operate safely. ADB has the potential to reduce the risk of crashes by increasing visibility without increasing glare. The agency initiated this rulemaking in response to a petition for rulemaking from Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

This final rule amends the visual inspection labeling requirement in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 304, ``Compressed natural gas fuel container integrity,'' by modifying the periodic inspection interval for compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel containers installed on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds). The inspection interval for these vehicles is modified from the currently-specified interval, ``at least every 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first,'' to ``at least every 12 months.'' For commercial operators of CNG heavy vehicles that often travel 100,000 miles per year or more, this change will eliminate the need to perform unnecessary multiple visual inspections of their vehicles' CNG fuel containers per year. NHTSA believes this final rule is equally protective of safety as the cadence of inspection required by the current rule. This rulemaking commenced in response to petitions for rulemaking from the American Trucking Associations and Natural Gas Vehicles for America.

This notice announces a meeting of the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC).

Hankook Tire America Corp. (Hankook) has determined that certain Hankook Ventus S1 Noble2 passenger car tires do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles, and part 574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping. Hankook filed a noncompliance report dated April 23, 2020. Hankook subsequently petitioned NHTSA on May 19, 2020, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces the grant of Hankook's petition.

This notice announces that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be postponing the workshop originally scheduled for January 27, 2022. The workshop was intended to present three new compliance reporting templates for the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Program. The workshop will be rescheduled for later this year.

Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA) on behalf of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) (collectively referred to as ``Toyota'') has determined that certain replacement seat belt assemblies manufactured by Marutaka, Tokai Rika Japan, Autoliv, NSK, Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, TRQSS, Key Safety Restraint Systems, Inc., Tokai Rika Czech, BMW Group Headquarters, Subaru Corporation, and Mazda North America Operations, and sold to Toyota dealerships as replacement equipment do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, Seat Belt Assemblies. Toyota filed three noncompliance reports, two dated April 20, 2021, and the other dated May 4, 2021. Toyota subsequently submitted two petitions to NHTSA both dated May 14, 2021, for a decision that the subject noncompliances are inconsequential as they relate to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces receipt of Toyota's petitions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extension with modification of a currently approved information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on NHTSA's Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies: Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS), Special Crash Investigation (SCI) and Special Study Data Collection.

Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (Toyota) has determined that certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2019 Toyota RAV4 and MY 2014-2019 Toyota Highlander/Highlander HV motor vehicles do not fully comply with S4 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 302, Flammability of Interior Materials. Toyota filed a noncompliance report dated June 19, 2019, and subsequently petitioned NHTSA on July 12, 2019, and later amended that petition on August 13, 2019, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces the grant of Toyota's petition.

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW), a subsidiary of BMW AG, has determined that certain model year (MY) 2019 BMW F750 GS and F850 GS motorcycles do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 205, Glazing Materials. BMW filed a noncompliance report dated October 19, 2018. BMW subsequently petitioned NHTSA on October 29, 2018, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces the grant of BMW's petition.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate a previously approved information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on generic clearance for qualitative feedback on agency service delivery.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for reinstatement of a previously approved information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on the information collections related to aftermarket modification of vehicles to accommodate people with disabilities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of a currently approved information collection. Before a Federal agency may collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval to allow NHTSA to continue to conduct research on the development of a driver alcohol detection system. NHTSA is seeking an extension of the information collection, titled ``Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety Field Operational Test'' (OMB Control Number 2127-0734), which is currently approved through March 31, 2022. The extension is necessary to complete data collection that was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The burden hour and cost calculations have been adjusted to reflect only the remaining data collection, adjustments for recruitment based on current experience, and adjustments in participation based on current experience.

NHTSA is issuing this final rule to establish Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 227, ``Bus rollover structural integrity,'' to enhance the rollover structural integrity of over-the- road buses (motorcoaches), and other buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 11,793 kilograms (kg) (26,000 pounds (lb)). This final rule, issued pursuant to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), requires the buses to provide a ``survival space'' in a rollover test to protect occupants from possible collapse of the bus structure around them. In addition, to reduce the likelihood of ejection, this final rule prohibits emergency exits from opening in the rollover test. This final rule ensures that bus roofs and side wall panels will resist deformation and intrusion into the occupant space in rollover crashes, and reduces the risk of emergency exits becoming ejection portals in a crash.

This notice announces that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold a workshop to present three new compliance reporting templates for the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Program. The workshop will provide a demonstration of the use of the templates which automobile manufacturers will use to provide NHTSA required compliance data. Vehicle manufacturers and other interested parties who wish to attend the workshops are asked to pre-register (the workshop will be held virtually) and are invited to submit reporting questions and credit related technical issues to be considered for discussion during the workshops. Attendance requires electronic registration and confirmation in advance and is free.

This document responds to a petition for reconsideration from Humanetics Innovative Solutions Inc. (HIS) concerning a November 3, 2020 final rule that amended NHTSA's regulation on anthropomorphic test devices to add design and performance specifications for a test dummy representing a 3-year-old child, called the ``Q3s'' test dummy. The Q3s is an instrumented dummy that can assess the performance of child restraint systems in protecting small children in side impacts. The petitioner asks for corrections to hole dimensions and tolerances in a few of the drawings of parts in the dummy torso, because they are in error. This final rule grants the petition and revises the drawing package, parts list, and procedures manual for assembling and inspecting the Q3s.

Transamerica Tire Co. Ltd. (Transamerica) has determined that certain Transeagle ST tires manufactured by Shandong Yinbao Tyre (Yinbao) 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) and Motorcycles. Transamerica, on behalf of Yinbao, filed a noncompliance report dated November 21, 2019. Transamerica petitioned NHTSA on November 25, 2019, and amended its petition on April 22, 2021, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt of Transamerica's petition.

This document grants in full the American Honda Motor Co., Inc.'s (Honda) petition for exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (theft prevention standard) for its Acura Integra vehicle line beginning in model year (MY) 2023. 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.

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. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an extension of a currently approved information collection for reporting of information and documents about potential defects. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on December 29, 2020. No comments were received.

Ride the Ducks International, LLC (RTDI), has determined that certain model year (MY) 1996-2014 Ride the Ducks International Stretch Amphibious passenger vehicles (APVs) do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 104, Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems. RTDI filed a noncompliance information report dated March 15, 2017. RTDI also petitioned NHTSA on April 12, 2017, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

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. The State Data Transfer (SDT) program is a voluntary collection of motor vehicle crash data that State agencies collect for their own needs. NHTSA received emergency clearance to conduct the information collection until December 31, 2021. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on June 1, 2021. One comment from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) was received supporting NHTSA's SDT data collection and the request for emergency clearance to expedite this effort.

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2012-2016 Starcraft and 2014-2016 StarTrans buses do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 217, Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release. Forest River filed two separate noncompliance reports on April 14, 2016, and revised them both on June 7, 2016. Forest River also petitioned NHTSA on May 31, 2016, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of a currently approved information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes NHTSA's information collection for incident reporting requirements for Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). NHTSA recently requested emergency review of its request for approval of this information collection and received a six-month approval. NHTSA now intends to follow the normal clearance procedures and request OMB's approval for a three-year extension of this currently approved information collection.

This document grants in full the Nissan North America, Inc.'s (Nissan) petition for exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (theft prevention standard) for its ARIYA vehicle line beginning in model year (MY) 2023. 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. Nissan also requested confidential treatment for specific information in its petition. Therefore, no confidential information provided for purposes of this notice has been disclosed.