Report on DOT Significant Rulemakings

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Table of Contents

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

64. Fuel Economy Standards- Rights and Responsibilities of Manufacturers in the Context of Changes in Corporate Relationships

65. FMVSS: Head Restraints (Height and Distance Requirements)

66. Frontal Offset Protection

67. Event Data Recorders

68. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Occupant Crash Protection

69. Side Impact Protection Upgrade - FMVSS No. 214

70. Reforming the Automobile Fuel Economy Standards Program

71. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
64. 
Fuel Economy Standards- Rights and Responsibilities of Manufacturers in the Context of Changes in Corporate Relationships Red
Popular Title: Fuel Economy Standards
RIN 2127-AG97
Stage: Final Rule
Previous Stage: NPRM: Publication Date 01/22/2001; End of Comment Period 3/22/2001.
Abstract: This rulemaking would define the rights and responsibilities of manufacturers under the agency's corporate average fuel economy program in the context of changes in corporate relationships. It addresses the rights and responsibilities of predecessors and successors, as well as the rights and responsibilities of manufacturers in other situations where there have been changes in corporate relationships, e.g., changes in control. Among other things, it would address how fuel economy credits are allocated in these types of situations.
Effects:
  None
Prompting action: Statute
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 04/27/1998
Dates for Final Rule:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 02/15/2003    09/30/2003 
Returned to Mode     01/06/2004 
Resubmitted to OST 06/01/2004  06/01/2004   
To OMB 03/17/2003  06/22/2004   
OMB Clearance 06/17/2003  09/22/2004   
Publication Date 07/01/2003  09/30/2004   
End of Comment Period 09/01/2003  11/30/2004   
Explanation for any delay: Unanticipated issues requiring further analysis
Federal Register Citation for Final Rule: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
65. 
FMVSS: Head Restraints (Height and Distance Requirements) Red
Popular Title: Head Restraints (Height and Distance Req)
RIN 2127-AH09
Stage: Final Rule
Previous Stage: NPRM: Publication Date 01/04/2001; End of Comment Period 03/05/2001.
Abstract: This rulemaking would upgrade the standard for head restraints for passenger cars and for light multipurpose vehicles, trucks and buses. The rule would establish higher minimum height requirements for head restraints and add a requirement limiting backset, i.e., the distance between a person's head and his or her head restraint. It would also extend the requirement for head restraints to rear outboard designated seating positions; establish new strength requirements for head restraints; and place limits on the size of gaps and openings in head restraints. In addition, it would modify the dynamic compliance test and amend test procedures. The rulemaking would harmonize the standard with some aspects of the counterpart regulation of the Economic Commission for Europe.
Effects:
  Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prompting action: None
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 03/01/2001
Dates for Final Rule:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 02/01/2003  06/30/2004  05/21/2004 
To OMB 03/03/2003  07/30/2004   
OMB Clearance 06/03/2003  10/29/2004   
Publication Date 06/08/2003  11/08/2004   
Explanation for any delay: Unanticipated issues requiring further analysis
Federal Register Citation for Final Rule: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
66. 
Frontal Offset Protection Red
Popular Title: Frontal Offset
RIN 2127-AH73
Stage: NPRM
Previous Stage: Request for Comments: Publication Date 02/03/2004; End of Comment Period 04/05/2004.
Abstract: This rulemaking would establish a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for high speed frontal offset crash testing. The frontal offset test is a crash test for automobiles and light trucks in which the subject vehicles are run into a deformable honeycomb barrier. The barrier contacts only 40 percent of the front of the vehicle stimulating an off-center frontal collision. The agency is considering adding the offset test to the frontal occupant protection standard to measure vehicle structural integrity and reduce the number and severity of lower-body injuries.
Effects:
  None
Prompting action: None
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 11/22/1999
Dates for NPRM:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 04/01/2003  08/22/2004   
To OMB 05/01/2003  09/22/2004   
OMB Clearance 08/01/2003  12/22/2004   
Publication Date 08/08/2003  12/27/2004   
End of Comment Period 10/08/2003  02/27/2005   
Explanation for any delay: Unanticipated impacts requiring further analysis
Federal Register Citation for NPRM: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
67. 
Event Data Recorders Red
Popular Title: Event Data Recorders
RIN 2127-AI72
Stage: NPRM
Previous Stage: Request for Comments: Publication Date 10/11/2002; End of Comment Period 01/09/2003.
Abstract: This rulemaking would address event data recorders (EDRs), i.e., devices that record information about motor vehicles involved in crashes. Manufacturers have been voluntarily installing EDRs as standard equipment in increasingly larger numbers of light vehicles in recent years. They are now being installed in the vast majority of new vehicles. The information collected by EDRs aids investigations of the causes of crashes and injuries, and makes it possible to better define and address safety problems. The information can be used to improve motor vehicle safety systems and standards. The rulemaking would not require the installation of EDRs in any motor vehicles. It would consider requirements for voluntarily installed EDRs, including ones for a minimum set of specified data elements and for data format.
Effects:
  None
Prompting action: None
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 07/12/2002
Dates for NPRM:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 09/08/2004  12/19/2003  12/19/2003 
To OMB 10/08/2004  01/20/2004  03/09/2004 
OMB Clearance 01/08/2005  06/10/2004  06/03/2004 
Publication Date 01/13/2005  06/17/2004   
End of Comment Period 03/13/2005  08/17/2004   
Explanation for any delay: Unanticipated issues requiring further analysis
Federal Register Citation for NPRM: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
68. 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Occupant Crash Protection Green
Popular Title: Occupant Crash Protection
RIN 2127-AI91
Stage: Final Rule
Previous Stage: NPRM: Publication Date 08/06/2003; End of Comment Period 10/06/2003.
Abstract: This rulemaking would require that all designated seating positions in rear seats be equipped with integral lap/shoulder safety belts.
Effects:
  None
Prompting action: Statute
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 12/07/2002
Dates for Final Rule:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 08/27/2004     
To OMB 09/24/2004     
OMB Clearance 12/24/2004     
Publication Date 12/31/2004     
Explanation for any delay: N/A
Federal Register Citation for Final Rule: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
69. 
Side Impact Protection Upgrade - FMVSS No. 214 Red
Popular Title: Side Impact Protection Upgrade
RIN 2127-AJ10
Stage: NPRM
Previous Stage:None
Abstract: This rulemaking would substantially upgrade the agency's side impact protection standard, especially by requiring protection in crashes with narrow objects and protection against head injuries in side impact crashes with both narrow objects and other vehicles. First, it would upgrade the standard by requiring that all passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less protect front seat occupants against head, thoracic, abdominal and pelvic injuries in a vehicle-to-pole test simulating a vehicle's crashing sideways into narrow fixed objects like telephone poles and trees. To meet the head injury criteria in the pole test, vehicle manufacturers would likely need to install dynamically deploying side head protection systems, such as head air bags or inflatable air curtains that drop down from the roof line above the door frame. Second, this rulemaking would upgrade the standard's existing vehicle-to-vehicle test that requires protection of front and rear seat occupants against thoracic and pelvic injuries in a test that uses a moving deformable barrier to simulate a moving vehicle's being struck in the side by another moving vehicle. The rulemaking would upgrade that test by requiring protection against head injuries. It would replace the mid-size male dummy currently used in that test with the new mid-size male dummy mentioned above and require compliance with the head, thoracic and pelvic injury criteria developed for the new dummy. It would also enhance protection for small adult occupants by adding the new small female test dummy mentioned above and requiring compliance with the injury criteria developed for that dummy. Thus, the number of test configurations would increase from one to two.
Effects:
  Economically Significant
Major
Unfunded Mandate
Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prompting action: None
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 06/28/2002
Dates for NPRM:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 11/14/2003    11/03/2003 
To OMB 12/12/2003    02/10/2004 
OMB Clearance 03/12/2004  05/10/2004  05/10/2004 
Publication Date 03/22/2004  05/17/2004  05/17/2004 
End of Comment Period 05/22/2004    10/14/2004 
Explanation for any delay: Additional coordination necessary
Federal Register Citation for NPRM: 69 FR 27990


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
70. 
Reforming the Automobile Fuel Economy Standards Program Black
Popular Title: Reforming CAFE
RIN 2127-AJ17
Stage: Undetermined
Previous Stage: ANPRM: Publication Date 12/29/03; End of Comment Period 4/27/04.
Abstract: This rulemaking would address various issues relating to the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) program. In particular, it addresses possible enhancements to the program that will assist in furthering fuel conservation while protecting motor vehicle safety and American jobs. The agency is particularly interested in improvements to the structure of the CAFE program authorized under current statutory authority.
Effects:
  Economically Significant
Major
Unfunded Mandate
Prompting action: None
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 04/01/2003
Dates for Undetermined:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST      
To OMB      
OMB Clearance      
Publication Date      
End of Comment Period      
Explanation for any delay: N/A
Federal Register Citation for Undetermined: None


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
71. 
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Red
Popular Title: TPMS
RIN 2127-AJ23
Stage: NPRM
Previous Stage:None
Abstract: The Transportation Recall Enhancement Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act required the Secretary of Transportation to initiate rulemaking to require a warning system in new motor vehicles to indicate to the operator when a tire is significantly under-inflated. The agency issued a final rule for tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) (establishing FMVSS No. 138) on June 5, 2002; however, that version of the standard was vacated by a decision issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in August 2003. The agency will now take rulemaking action to re-establish FMVSS No. 138, in a manner consistent with the court's decision, and provide a new phase-in period. This rulemaking replaces 2127-AI90 and 2127-AI33, which was terminated due to the August 2003 Second Circuit decision.
Effects:
  Economically Significant
Major
Unfunded Mandate
Prompting action: Statute
Legal Deadline:  None
Rulemaking Project Initiated: 08/06/2003
Dates for NPRM:
Milestone Originally
Scheduled
Date
New
Projected
Date
Actual
Date
To OST 02/27/2004  04/06/2004  04/06/2004 
To OMB 03/26/2004  05/06/2004   
OMB Clearance 06/25/2004  08/06/2004   
Publication Date 07/05/2004  08/13/2004   
End of Comment Period 09/06/2004  10/15/2004   
Explanation for any delay: Unanticipated issues requiring further analysis
Federal Register Citation for NPRM: None