National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Ford Motor Company (Ford), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford F-150 and Ford F-Super Duty pickup trucks do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 202a, Head Restraints. Ford filed a noncompliance information report dated October 18, 2016. Ford also petitioned NHTSA on November 17, 2016, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

This notice partially grants a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers (hereinafter collectively referred to as ``Petitioners'') on June 20, 2016, to consider amending various aspects of the light vehicle Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. The Petitioners requested that NHTSA issue a direct final rule to implement the requested changes, but NHTSA believes that the issues and questions raised by the Petitioners are worthy of notice and comment. NHTSA will address the changes requested in the Petition in the course of the rulemaking proceeding, in accordance with statutory criteria.

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 a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

General Motors, LLC (GM), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2016-2017 Cadillac CTS, CT6, XTS and Escalade motor vehicles do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems. GM filed a defect report dated August 17, 2016. GM then petitioned NHTSA on August 22, 2016, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

To reduce the risk of pedestrian crashes, especially for the blind and visually-impaired, and to satisfy the mandate in the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (PSEA) of 2010 this final rule establishes a new Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) setting minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles. This new standard requires hybrid and electric passenger cars, light trucks and vans (LTVs), and low speed vehicles (LSVs) to produce sounds meeting the requirements of this standard. This final rule applies to electric vehicles (EVs) and to those hybrid vehicles (HVs) that are capable of propulsion in any forward or reverse gear without the vehicle's internal combustion engine (ICE) operating. This standard will help to ensure that blind, visually impaired, and other pedestrians are able to detect and recognize nearby hybrid and electric vehicles, as required by the PSEA.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on April 29, 2016 (Volume 81, Number 83, pages 25759-25760).

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that model year (MY) 2013 and 2014 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta passenger cars (PCs) that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards (the U.S.-certified version of the MY 2013 and 2014 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta PC), and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

Spartan Motors USA, Inc. (Spartan), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2013-2015 Utilimaster Vans do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, Occupant crash protection. Spartan Motors USA, Inc., filed a defect report dated January 15, 2016. Spartan then petitioned NHTSA on February 12, 2016, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

NHTSA is announcing a public meeting to seek input specifically on the Model State Policy and Modern Regulatory Tools sections of the recently released Federal Automated Vehicles Policy (the Policy). The Policy is guidance that seeks to speed the delivery of an initial regulatory framework for highly automated vehicles (HAVs) as well as encourage conformance with best practices to guide manufacturers and other entities in the safe design, development, testing, and deployment of HAVs. The Model State Policy builds on collective knowledge gathered from safety stakeholders, and is intended to help avoid a patchwork of inconsistent laws and regulations. It outlines States' roles in regulating HAVs and lays out model procedures and requirements for use by States that wish to enact laws governing HAVs. The Modern Regulatory Tools section includes potential new tools and authorities that could help NHTSA overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities involved in the safe and expeditious development of HAVs. Held in two distinct parts, the public meeting in the morning session will be an open listening session for the Model State Policy. In the afternoon session, there will be moderated panel discussions on the Modern Regulatory Tools. All comments during the public meeting will be oral.

NHTSA is proposing to require placing a label on the passenger side sun visor of light-duty vehicles that provides information about how to submit a safety-related motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA. This rulemaking also proposes updating the required information in 49 CFR 575.6 for defect reporting information in owner's manuals through the addition of the text developed for this proposal. This proposal responds to the mandate in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act of 2012 (MAP-21) that manufacturers be required to affix, in the glove compartment or in another readily accessible location on the vehicle, a sticker, decal, or other device that provides, in simple and understandable language, information about how to submit a safety- related motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA; and prominently print the information described above within the owner's manual.

General Motors, LLC (GM) petitioned the Agency to alter the Part 573 defect information report (DIR) filing schedule set forth in paragraph 14 of the May 4, 2016 Amendment to November 3, 2015 Consent Order between NHTSA and TK Holdings Inc. (Takata). More specifically, GM requested that NHTSA modify the DIR schedule with respect to certain GM-branded motor vehicles to defer the filing date from December 31, 2016 to December 31, 2017. GM has since withdrawn this petition.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear), has determined that certain Goodyear tires do not fully comply with paragraph S6.5(f) of 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. Goodyear filed a report dated September 27, 2016, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. Goodyear then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is announcing a meeting that will be held in Washington, DC on December 1, 2016 to explore the risk factors associated with pupil transportation and potential solutions to prevent school transportation-related crashes. The School Transportation SafetyThinking Outside the Bus meeting will include presentations and discussions on a number of topics including trends in school transportation-related crashes; updates on lap/shoulder belts in school buses; pedestrians around the bus, illegal passing of school buses, school bus driver distraction; research on camera enforcement of stop arm violations; school bus vehicle technology and Moving Toward ZeroReducing School Transportation-related fatalities. Attendance at the meeting is limited to invited participants because of space limitations of the DOT Conference Center. However, the meeting will be available for live public viewing on the NHTSA Web site (www.nhtsa.gov).

This document amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110 to make it clear that special trailer (ST) tires are permitted to be installed on new trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less. It also excludes these trailers from a requirement that a tire must be retained on its rim when subjected to a sudden loss of tire pressure and brought to a controlled stop from 97 km/h (60 mph). The agency proposed these changes and, after a review of the comments received, has determined that these two revisions are appropriate and will not result in any degradation of motor vehicle safety.

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2016-2017 Freightliner and Western Star trucks do not fully comply with Table 2 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 101, Controls and Displays. DTNA filed a report dated September 22, 2016, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. DTNA also petitioned NHTSA on September 22, 2016, under 49 CFR part 556 for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

Michelin North America, Inc. (MNA), has determined that certain MNA tires do not fully comply with paragraph S5.5.1(b) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New pneumatic radial tires for light vehicles. MNA filed a report dated May 5, 2016, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. MNA then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 requesting a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

This document grants in full the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC, (FCA) petition for exemption of the ``MP'' MPV line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. 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 49 CFR part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. (Theft Prevention Standard). FCA also requested confidential treatment for specific information in its petition. While official notification granting or denying its request for confidential treatment will be addressed by separate letter, no confidential information provided for purposes of this notice has been disclosed.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on August 17, 2016, 81 FR 54918.

Supreme Corporation (Supreme), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Supreme Classic American Trolley buses manufactured between October 1, 2014 and November 2, 2015, do not fully comply with paragraph S6 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 205, Glazing Materials. Supreme filed a report dated November 20, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. Supreme then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 requesting a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on March 8, 2016 (81 FR 12196). The agency received one comment. This comment was supportive of the proposed survey and did not provide any suggestions for the survey's implementation or design.

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 a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in coordination with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), is in the process of reviewing the Guidelines for the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) Fourth Edition, December 2012, and requests comments to determine appropriate improvements to address stakeholder concerns. The MMUCC provides States with a dataset for describing crashes of motor vehicles in transport that generates the information necessary to improve highway safety within each State and nationally. NHTSA and GHSA established an expert panel to review the proposed changes and comments received from Federal Register Notice FR Doc. 2016-09231. On July 27-28, 2016, the MMUCC expert panel met and decided on initial changes to MMUCC based on input from the subject matter experts in attendance and written comments submitted in response to a April 21, 2016 request for comments. The MMUCC panel will meet again on October 27-28, 2016, to continue deliberating changes to MMUCC and is seeking public input on additional changes. Crash data users may comment on the utility of the current MMUCC guidelines, the draft changes to MMUCC, and suggest additional changes for the next update to MMUCC. Based on the input received in response to this notice, NHTSA and GHSA anticipate issuing changes to the Guidelines in 2017.

This action revises the Federal implementing regulations for the Section 154 (Open Container) and Section 164 (Repeat Intoxicated Driver) programs as a result of enactment of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. It incorporates the new compliance criteria for the Section 164 program and updates the regulations to reflect current practice. This document is being issued as an interim final rule to ensure that States receive instructions that are important to upcoming compliance determinations to be made on October 1, 2016. The agencies request comments on this rule. The agencies will publish a document responding to any comments received and, if appropriate, will amend provisions of the regulations.

NHTSA and FMCSA announce the availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of proposed regulations requiring the installation of vehicle speed limiting devices in new heavy vehicles and maintenance of a maximum speed setting by motor carriers operating affected vehicles. The Draft EA was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA, U.S. DOT Order 5610.1C, NHTSA's NEPA implementing regulations, and FMCSA's NEPA Order 5610.1. Interested persons are invited to comment on the Draft EA.