General Motors, LLC, Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance, 8095-8097 [2020-02729]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
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Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020–02800 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Limitation on Claims Against Proposed
Public Transportation Projects
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice announces final
environmental actions taken by the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The purpose of this notice is to
announce publicly the environmental
decisions by FTA on the subject project
and to activate the limitation on any
claims that may challenge these final
environmental actions.
DATES: By this notice, FTA is advising
the public of final agency actions
subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l). A claim
seeking judicial review of FTA actions
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SUMMARY:
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announced herein for the listed public
transportation project will be barred
unless the claim is filed on or before
July 13, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy-Ellen Zusman, Assistant Chief
Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, (312)
353–2577 or Saadat Khan,
Environmental Protection Specialist,
Office of Environmental Programs, (202)
366–9647. FTA is located at 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590. Office hours are from 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that FTA has taken final
agency actions by issuing certain
approvals for the public transportation
project listed below. The actions on the
project, as well as the laws under which
such actions were taken, are described
in the documentation issued in
connection with the project to comply
with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) and in other documents in
the FTA environmental project file for
the project. Interested parties may
contact either the project sponsor or the
relevant FTA Regional Office for more
information. Contact information for
FTA’s Regional Offices may be found at
https://www.fta.dot.gov.
This notice applies to all FTA
decisions on the listed project as of the
issuance date of this notice and all laws
under which such actions were taken,
including, but not limited to, NEPA [42
U.S.C. 4321–4375], Section 4(f)
requirements [23 U.S.C. 138, 49 U.S.C.
303], Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act [54 U.S.C.
306108], and the Clean Air Act [42
U.S.C. 7401–7671q]. This notice does
not, however, alter or extend the
limitation period for challenges of
project decisions subject to previous
notices published in the Federal
Register. The project and actions that
are the subject of this notice follow.
Project name and location: METRO
Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Project, Twin Cities Metropolitan Area,
Minnesota. Project Sponsor: The
Metropolitan Council, Saint Paul,
Minnesota. Project description: The
project consists of a 10-mile bus
transitway in Ramsey and Washington
counties in the eastern part of the Twin
Cities Metropolitan Area. The Project
will operate parallel to I–94 and connect
downtown Saint Paul with the suburban
cities of Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale
and Woodbury. The Project will use 8
existing stations in downtown Saint
Paul, two new stations at Union Depot,
and 11 existing stations located along
the remainder of the alignment. The
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8095
Project will operate in a guideway
dedicated to BRT for 66 percent of its
route (new road construction) and in
mixed traffic for 34 percent. Final
agency action: Section 4(f) de minimis
impact determination; executed Section
106 Programmatic Agreement, dated
January 07, 2020; METRO Gold Line
Bus Rapid Transit Project Finding of No
Significant Impact, dated January 17,
2020. Supporting Documentation:
METRO Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit
Environmental Assessment, September
26, 2019.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1).
Mark A. Ferroni,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning
and Environment.
[FR Doc. 2020–02726 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA–2019–0063; Notice 1]
General Motors, LLC, Receipt of
Petition for Decision of
Inconsequential Noncompliance
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Receipt of petition.
AGENCY:
General Motors, LLC, (GM)
has determined that certain model year
(MY) 2010–2017 GMC Terrain motor
vehicles do not fully comply with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective
Devices, and Associated Equipment. GM
filed a noncompliance report dated May
15, 2019. GM subsequently petitioned
NHTSA on June 7, 2019, for a decision
that the subject noncompliance is
inconsequential as it relates to motor
vehicle safety. This document
announces receipt of GM’s petition.
DATES: The closing date for comments
on the petition is March 13, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written data, views,
and arguments on this petition.
Comments must refer to the docket
number and notice number cited in the
title of this notice and may be submitted
by any of the following methods:
• Mail: Send comments by mail
addressed to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations,
M–30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: Deliver comments
by hand to the U.S. Department of
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
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8096
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
Transportation, Docket Operations,
M–30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. The
Docket Section is open on weekdays
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Federal
Holidays.
• Electronically: Submit comments
electronically by logging onto the
Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) website at https://
www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
• Comments may also be faxed to
(202) 493–2251.
Comments must be written in the
English language, and be no greater than
15 pages in length, although there is no
limit to the length of necessary
attachments to the comments. If
comments are submitted in hard copy
form, please ensure that two copies are
provided. If you wish to receive
confirmation that comments you have
submitted by mail were received, please
enclose a stamped, self-addressed
postcard with the comments. Note that
all comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided.
All comments and supporting
materials received before the close of
business on the closing date indicated
above will be filed in the docket and
will be considered. All comments and
supporting materials received after the
closing date will also be filed and will
be considered to the fullest extent
possible.
When the petition is granted or
denied, notice of the decision will also
be published in the Federal Register
pursuant to the authority indicated at
the end of this notice.
All comments, background
documentation, and supporting
materials submitted to the docket may
be viewed by anyone at the address and
times given above. The documents may
also be viewed on the internet at https://
www.regulations.gov by following the
online instructions for accessing the
dockets. The docket ID number for this
petition is shown in the heading of this
notice.
DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement is available for review in a
Federal Register notice published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–78).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Overview: GM has determined that
certain MY 2010–2017 GMC Terrain
motor vehicles do not fully comply with
paragraph S10.15.6 and Table XIX of
FMVSS No. 108, Lamps, Reflective
Devices, and Associated Equipment (49
CFR 571.108). GM filed a
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17:03 Feb 11, 2020
Jkt 250001
noncompliance report dated May 15,
2019, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573,
Defect and Noncompliance
Responsibility and Reports. GM
subsequently petitioned NHTSA on
June 7, 2019, for an exemption from the
notification and remedy requirements of
49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 on the basis that
this noncompliance is inconsequential
as it relates to motor vehicle safety,
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and
30120(h) and 49 CFR part 556,
Exemption for Inconsequential Defect or
Noncompliance.
This notice of receipt of GM’s
petition, is published under 49 U.S.C.
30118 and 30120 and does not represent
any agency decision or other exercises
of judgment concerning the merits of the
petition.
II. Equipment and Vehicles Involved:
Approximately 726,959 MY 2010–2017
GMC Terrain motor vehicles
manufactured between May 21, 2009
and July 13, 2017 are potentially
involved.
III. Noncompliance: GM explains that
the noncompliance is that the subject
vehicles are equipped with lower beam
headlamps that do not meet the
photometry requirements of paragraph
S10.15.6 and Table XIX of FMVSS No.
108. Specifically, a reflection from the
headlamps’ housing is directed 80
degrees outboard and 45 degrees
upward, as measured from each lamp’s
optical axis, which dimly illuminates
two small areas high above the vehicle.
When tested, this reflection from a
single point on each lamp burns at 450–
470 cd, more than three times brighter
than the designated maximum of 125 cd
at test points 10° U to 90° U.
IV. Rule Requirements: Paragraph
S10.15.6 and Table XIX of FMVSS No.
108 includes the requirements relevant
to this petition. Each replaceable bulb
headlamp must be designed to conform
to the photometry requirements of Table
XVIII for upper beam and Table XIX for
lower beam as specified in Table II-d for
the specific headlamp unit and aiming
method, when tested according to the
procedure of paragraph S14.2.5 using
any replaceable light source designated
for use in the system under test.
V. Summary of GM’s Petition: GM
described the subject noncompliance
and stated its belief that the
noncompliance is inconsequential as it
relates to motor vehicle safety.
In support of its petition, GM
submitted the following reasoning:
1. The refection has no effect on
vehicle safety for oncoming or
surrounding vehicles. The narrow
reflection in question does not create a
safety risk for oncoming or surrounding
drivers, due to the extreme angle of the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
reflection. This angle, 80 degrees
outboard and 45 degrees upward from
each lamp’s optical axis, is far above the
range where the reflection could cause
glare for oncoming or surrounding
drivers, including the industryrecognized ‘‘glare points’’ referenced in
Table XIX of FMVSS No. 108 at the
following ranges: 0.5° U–1.5° L to L,
i° U–1.5° L to L, 0.5° U–1° R to R, 1.5° U–
° R to R.
2. The reflection has no effect on
vehicle safety for drivers of the subject
vehicles. The areas illuminated by the
narrow reflections in question are not
visible to drivers of the subject vehicles.
These two small areas appear high
above the vehicle, one to the far left and
the other to the far right of the vehicle,
well outside of the driver’s view.
GM says, while these reflections may
be somewhat perceptible in certain
extremely dense fog or snow conditions,
there would be no effect on vehicle
safety due to the small size and far
outboard location in the driver’s
peripheral field of view. Any detectable
light would be negligible compared to
other outside sources of illumination
such as glare from oncoming traffic or
fog glare forward of the vehicle from any
FMVSS-compliant headlamp.
3. GM is aware of only a single
customer inquiry associated with this
condition, and is not aware of any
crashes or injuries. GM reviewed all
relevant field data and found just a
single customer inquiry within the US
and Canadian vehicle population of
nearly 820,000 vehicles sold, 726,595 of
which in the US and 92,747 in Canada,
over eight model years. The customer
stated, ‘‘Left head lamp seems to have
a portion of the light that shines up in
the trees at near a 45-degree angle.’’ GM
identified no other related field reports,
including in warranty, TREAD, VOQ,
and legal data.
4. The headlamps comply with
recognized industry standards. GM
cited S6.1.1 of the SAE International
Standard J1383, Performance
Requirements for Motor Vehicle
Headlamps (May 26, 2010), which sets
forth certain industry-recognized
intensity and size limits on headlamp
photometrics. Specifically, for a zone
extending 20° left to 20° right, and 10°
to 60° up from the lamp optical axis, the
light projected cannot exceed 550
candelas and cannot occupy more than
five percent of the zone’s total area. The
reflection from the subject lamps is well
outside of this zone. Even if the
reflections were within this zone, the
headlamps would remain compliant, as
the reflection would not exceed the
maximum of five percent of the total
area or the maximum of 550 candelas.
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12FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
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5. The headlamps comply with
applicable requirements for global
regions, including UNECE R1123. S6.2.4
and Annex 3, Figure B of UNECE R112
specify photometric test points for the
passing beam (i.e., lower beam
headlamp). The photometric points
extend to 4° above the lamp optical axis.
The subject reflection is well above
those test points.
6. The subject condition has been
corrected for service parts and does not
affect current-generation vehicles. GM is
purging all affected service and
replacement headlamps from dealer
stock. Stanley has redesigned service
and replacement headlamps to add
graining to the inadvertent reflecting
surfaces, which will prevent the
reflections that are the cause of the
issue. These redesigned lamps are
expected to be available June 12, 2019.
Current-generation GMC Terrain
vehicles (model years 2018 and newer)
use a different headlamp design and are
not affected by this condition.
GM concluded that the subject
noncompliance is inconsequential as it
relates to motor vehicle safety, and that
its petition to be exempted from
providing notification of the
noncompliance, as required by 49
U.S.C. 30118, and a remedy for the
noncompliance, as required by 49
U.S.C. 30120, should be granted.
NHTSA notes that the statutory
provisions (49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and
30120(h)) that permit manufacturers to
file petitions for a determination of
inconsequentiality allow NHTSA to
exempt manufacturers only from the
duties found in sections 30118 and
30120, respectively, to notify owners,
purchasers, and dealers of a defect or
noncompliance and to remedy the
defect or noncompliance. Therefore, any
decision on this petition only applies to
the subject vehicles that GM no longer
controlled at the time it determined that
the noncompliance existed. However,
any decision on this petition does not
relieve vehicle distributors and dealers
of the prohibitions on the sale, offer for
sale, or introduction or delivery for
introduction into interstate commerce of
the noncompliant vehicles under their
control after GM notified them that the
subject noncompliance existed.
Authority: (49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120:
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and
501.8).
Otto G. Matheke III,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020–02729 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
[OMB Control No. 2900–0851]
Agency Information Collection
Activity: Status of Loan Account—
Foreclosure or Other Liquidation
Veterans Benefits
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Veterans Benefits
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA), is announcing an
opportunity for public comment on the
proposed collection of certain
information by the agency. Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, Federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each proposed
extension of a currently approved
collection, and allow 60 days for public
comment in response to the notice.
DATES: Written comments and
recommendations on the proposed
collection of information should be
received on or before April 13, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
on the collection of information through
Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov or to
Nancy J. Kessinger, Veterans Benefits
Administration (20M33), Department of
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20420 or email to
nancy.kessinger@va.gov. Please refer to
‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0851’’ in any
correspondence. During the comment
period, comments may be viewed online
through FDMS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Danny S. Green, (202) 421–1354 or
email Danny.Green2@va.gov. Please
refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0851’’
in any correspondence.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
PRA of 1995, Federal agencies must
obtain approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for each
collection of information they conduct
or sponsor. This request for comment is
being made pursuant to Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
With respect to the following
collection of information, VBA invites
comments on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of VBA’s
functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of VBA’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
SUMMARY:
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8097
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
the use of other forms of information
technology.
Authority: Public Law 104–13; 44
U.S.C. 3501–3521.
Title: Status of Loan Account—
Foreclosure or Other Liquidation.
OMB Control Number: 2900–0851.
Type of Review: Extension without
change of a currently approved
collection.
Abstract: VA Form 26–0971 is used
when requesting the repurchase of a
loan. The holder of a delinquent vendee
account is legally entitled to repurchase
the loan by VA when the loan has been
continuously in default for 3 months
and the amount of the delinquency
equals or exceeds the sum of 2 monthly
installments.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households.
Estimated Annual Burden: 10 hours.
Estimated Average Burden per
Respondent: 30 minutes.
Frequency of Response: One-time.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
20.
By direction of the Secretary.
Danny S. Green,
VA Interim Clearance Officer, Office of
Quality, Performance and Risk, Department
of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020–02786 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
[OMB Control No. 2900–0020]
Agency Information Collection
Activity: Designation of Beneficiary
Government Life Insurance and
Supplemental Designation of
Beneficiary Government Life Insurance
Veterans Benefits
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Veterans Benefits
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA), is announcing an
opportunity for public comment on the
proposed collection of certain
information by the agency. Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, Federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each proposed
revision of a currently approved
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8095-8097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02729]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2019-0063; Notice 1]
General Motors, LLC, Receipt of Petition for Decision of
Inconsequential Noncompliance
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Receipt of petition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: General Motors, LLC, (GM) has determined that certain model
year (MY) 2010-2017 GMC Terrain motor vehicles do not fully comply with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps,
Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. GM filed a noncompliance
report dated May 15, 2019. GM subsequently petitioned NHTSA on June 7,
2019, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential
as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt
of GM's petition.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is March 13, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written data,
views, and arguments on this petition. Comments must refer to the
docket number and notice number cited in the title of this notice and
may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Mail: Send comments by mail addressed to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver comments by hand to the U.S.
Department of
[[Page 8096]]
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. The
Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for
Federal Holidays.
Electronically: Submit comments electronically by logging
onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Comments may also be faxed to (202) 493-2251.
Comments must be written in the English language, and be no greater
than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to the length of
necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are submitted in
hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are provided. If you wish
to receive confirmation that comments you have submitted by mail were
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided.
All comments and supporting materials received before the close of
business on the closing date indicated above will be filed in the
docket and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be
considered to the fullest extent possible.
When the petition is granted or denied, notice of the decision will
also be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority
indicated at the end of this notice.
All comments, background documentation, and supporting materials
submitted to the docket may be viewed by anyone at the address and
times given above. The documents may also be viewed on the internet at
https://www.regulations.gov by following the online instructions for
accessing the dockets. The docket ID number for this petition is shown
in the heading of this notice.
DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement is available for review in a
Federal Register notice published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Overview: GM has determined that certain MY 2010-2017 GMC
Terrain motor vehicles do not fully comply with paragraph S10.15.6 and
Table XIX of FMVSS No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated
Equipment (49 CFR 571.108). GM filed a noncompliance report dated May
15, 2019, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance
Responsibility and Reports. GM subsequently petitioned NHTSA on June 7,
2019, for an exemption from the notification and remedy requirements of
49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 on the basis that this noncompliance is
inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety, pursuant to 49
U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h) and 49 CFR part 556, Exemption for
Inconsequential Defect or Noncompliance.
This notice of receipt of GM's petition, is published under 49
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or
other exercises of judgment concerning the merits of the petition.
II. Equipment and Vehicles Involved: Approximately 726,959 MY 2010-
2017 GMC Terrain motor vehicles manufactured between May 21, 2009 and
July 13, 2017 are potentially involved.
III. Noncompliance: GM explains that the noncompliance is that the
subject vehicles are equipped with lower beam headlamps that do not
meet the photometry requirements of paragraph S10.15.6 and Table XIX of
FMVSS No. 108. Specifically, a reflection from the headlamps' housing
is directed 80 degrees outboard and 45 degrees upward, as measured from
each lamp's optical axis, which dimly illuminates two small areas high
above the vehicle. When tested, this reflection from a single point on
each lamp burns at 450-470 cd, more than three times brighter than the
designated maximum of 125 cd at test points 10[deg] U to 90[deg] U.
IV. Rule Requirements: Paragraph S10.15.6 and Table XIX of FMVSS
No. 108 includes the requirements relevant to this petition. Each
replaceable bulb headlamp must be designed to conform to the photometry
requirements of Table XVIII for upper beam and Table XIX for lower beam
as specified in Table II-d for the specific headlamp unit and aiming
method, when tested according to the procedure of paragraph S14.2.5
using any replaceable light source designated for use in the system
under test.
V. Summary of GM's Petition: GM described the subject noncompliance
and stated its belief that the noncompliance is inconsequential as it
relates to motor vehicle safety.
In support of its petition, GM submitted the following reasoning:
1. The refection has no effect on vehicle safety for oncoming or
surrounding vehicles. The narrow reflection in question does not create
a safety risk for oncoming or surrounding drivers, due to the extreme
angle of the reflection. This angle, 80 degrees outboard and 45 degrees
upward from each lamp's optical axis, is far above the range where the
reflection could cause glare for oncoming or surrounding drivers,
including the industry-recognized ``glare points'' referenced in Table
XIX of FMVSS No. 108 at the following ranges: 0.5[deg] U-1.5[deg] L to
L, i[deg] U-1.5[deg] L to L, 0.5[deg] U-1[deg] R to R, 1.5[deg] U-[deg]
R to R.
2. The reflection has no effect on vehicle safety for drivers of
the subject vehicles. The areas illuminated by the narrow reflections
in question are not visible to drivers of the subject vehicles. These
two small areas appear high above the vehicle, one to the far left and
the other to the far right of the vehicle, well outside of the driver's
view.
GM says, while these reflections may be somewhat perceptible in
certain extremely dense fog or snow conditions, there would be no
effect on vehicle safety due to the small size and far outboard
location in the driver's peripheral field of view. Any detectable light
would be negligible compared to other outside sources of illumination
such as glare from oncoming traffic or fog glare forward of the vehicle
from any FMVSS-compliant headlamp.
3. GM is aware of only a single customer inquiry associated with
this condition, and is not aware of any crashes or injuries. GM
reviewed all relevant field data and found just a single customer
inquiry within the US and Canadian vehicle population of nearly 820,000
vehicles sold, 726,595 of which in the US and 92,747 in Canada, over
eight model years. The customer stated, ``Left head lamp seems to have
a portion of the light that shines up in the trees at near a 45-degree
angle.'' GM identified no other related field reports, including in
warranty, TREAD, VOQ, and legal data.
4. The headlamps comply with recognized industry standards. GM
cited S6.1.1 of the SAE International Standard J1383, Performance
Requirements for Motor Vehicle Headlamps (May 26, 2010), which sets
forth certain industry-recognized intensity and size limits on headlamp
photometrics. Specifically, for a zone extending 20[deg] left to
20[deg] right, and 10[deg] to 60[deg] up from the lamp optical axis,
the light projected cannot exceed 550 candelas and cannot occupy more
than five percent of the zone's total area. The reflection from the
subject lamps is well outside of this zone. Even if the reflections
were within this zone, the headlamps would remain compliant, as the
reflection would not exceed the maximum of five percent of the total
area or the maximum of 550 candelas.
[[Page 8097]]
5. The headlamps comply with applicable requirements for global
regions, including UNECE R1123. S6.2.4 and Annex 3, Figure B of UNECE
R112 specify photometric test points for the passing beam (i.e., lower
beam headlamp). The photometric points extend to 4[deg] above the lamp
optical axis. The subject reflection is well above those test points.
6. The subject condition has been corrected for service parts and
does not affect current-generation vehicles. GM is purging all affected
service and replacement headlamps from dealer stock. Stanley has
redesigned service and replacement headlamps to add graining to the
inadvertent reflecting surfaces, which will prevent the reflections
that are the cause of the issue. These redesigned lamps are expected to
be available June 12, 2019. Current-generation GMC Terrain vehicles
(model years 2018 and newer) use a different headlamp design and are
not affected by this condition.
GM concluded that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as
it relates to motor vehicle safety, and that its petition to be
exempted from providing notification of the noncompliance, as required
by 49 U.S.C. 30118, and a remedy for the noncompliance, as required by
49 U.S.C. 30120, should be granted.
NHTSA notes that the statutory provisions (49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and
30120(h)) that permit manufacturers to file petitions for a
determination of inconsequentiality allow NHTSA to exempt manufacturers
only from the duties found in sections 30118 and 30120, respectively,
to notify owners, purchasers, and dealers of a defect or noncompliance
and to remedy the defect or noncompliance. Therefore, any decision on
this petition only applies to the subject vehicles that GM no longer
controlled at the time it determined that the noncompliance existed.
However, any decision on this petition does not relieve vehicle
distributors and dealers of the prohibitions on the sale, offer for
sale, or introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate
commerce of the noncompliant vehicles under their control after GM
notified them that the subject noncompliance existed.
Authority: (49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: delegations of authority at
49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8).
Otto G. Matheke III,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-02729 Filed 2-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P