National Highway Traffic Safety Administration January 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 2005 Toyota RAV4 multipurpose passenger vehicles that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards are eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

This notice grants the Mercedes-Benz, U.S.A. LLC (``MBUSA'') application for a temporary exemption from the requirements of S5.5.10 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. In accordance with 49 CFR Part Sec. 555.6(b), the basis for the grant is to facilitate the development and field evaluation of new motor vehicle safety feature providing a level of safety at least equal to that of the standard. Pursuant to Sec. 555.6(b)(5), MBUSA is permitted to sell not more than 2,500 exempted vehicles in any twelve-month period of the exemption. Because the exemption period is 24 months, this grant affects up to a total of 5,000 vehicles.

On July 12, 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted in full General Motors Corporation's (GM) petition to exempt the Chevrolet Cobalt vehicle line from the parts-marking requirements of the vehicle theft prevention standard (See 70 FR 40102). The exemption was granted because the agency determined that the antitheft device proposed to be placed on the line as standard equipment was likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard. On August 24, 2005, GM petitioned the agency to amend the exemption currently granted for the Chevrolet Cobalt vehicle line. NHTSA is granting in full GM's petition to modify the exemption because it has determined that the modified antitheft device to be placed on the Chevrolet Cobalt line as standard equipment will also likely be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements.

One of the provisions of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires new passenger vehicles to be labeled with safety rating information published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program. This document proposes a regulation to implement that new labeling requirement beginning September 1, 2007.

This notice denies a petition filed by Diane and Dorsey Smith requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) amend its regulation concerning odometer disclosure requirements to eliminate the exemption for vehicles having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 16,000 pounds.

In a final rule of August 17, 2005 (70 FR 48295), we updated our standard regulating motor vehicle controls, telltales and indicators. The standard specifies requirements for the location, identification, and illumination of these items. The rule extended the standard's telltale and indicator requirements to vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) and greater, updated the standard's requirements for multi-function controls and multi-task displays to make the requirements appropriate for advanced systems, and reorganized the standard to make it easier to read. The final rule announced an effective date of February 13, 2006, and a compliance date of February 13, 2006 for requirements applicable to vehicles under 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) GVWR. In response to a petition for extension of the effective date from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), this final rule announces a delay in the effective date to September 1, 2006. The additional time allows us to consider issues raised by the Alliance and other petitioners in petitions to reconsider certain items and identifications described in the August 17, 2005 final rule.

This document grants in full the petition of Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC., (MBUSA) in accordance with Sec. 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard, for the S-Line Chassis vehicle line. This 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. MBUSA requested confidential treatment for some of the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated August 29, 2005, the agency granted the petitioner's request for confidential treatment of most aspects of its petition.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (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 one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

In June 2003, NHTSA published a final rule establishing upgraded tire performance requirements for new tires for use on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. This document responds to petitions for reconsideration of that final rule. After carefully considering the petitions, the agency is modifying certain performance requirements to better address snow tires and certain specialty tires. Specifically, we are amending the performance requirements for snow tires used on light vehicles. Further, we decided that the safety performance of certain other specialty tires is better addressed through the requirements of a different Federal safety standard.

This notice grants the Cross Lander USA (``Cross Lander'') application for a temporary exemption from the requirements of S4.2 and S14 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, Occupant crash protection. The exemption applies to the Cross Lander 244X vehicle line. In accordance with 49 CFR part 555, the basis for the grant is that compliance would cause substantial economic hardship to a manufacturer that has tried in good faith to comply with the standard.

This notice proposes to amend the regulations that implement the section 410 program, under which States can receive incentive grants for alcohol-impaired driving prevention programs. The proposed amendments implement changes that were made to the section 410 program by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU). As a result of SAFETEA-LU, States are provided with two alternative means to qualify for a section 410 grant. Under the first alternative, States may qualify as a ``low fatality rate State'' if they have an alcohol-related fatality rate of 0.5 or less per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Under the second alternative, States may qualify as a ``programmatic State'' if they demonstrate that they meet three of eight grant criteria for fiscal year 2006, four of eight grant criteria for fiscal year 2007, and five of eight grant criteria for fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Qualifying under both alternatives would not entitle the State to receive additional grant funds. SAFETEA-LU also provides for a separate grant to the ten States that are determined to have the highest rates of alcohol-related driving fatalities. This notice of proposed rulemaking proposes criteria States must meet and procedures they must follow to qualify for section 410 grants, beginning in fiscal year 2006.