[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7139-7140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2938]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
49 CFR Part 571
[Docket No. NHTSA-98-5033]
RIN No. 2127-AG07
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Protection In
Interior Impact
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.
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SUMMARY: In April 1997, we issued a final rule amending its
requirements for protecting vehicle occupants from impacts with upper
vehicle interiors in crashes. One of the amendments in that final rule
changed previously established procedures for relocating specific
target points that are used to test compliance with the upper interior
impact requirements. The procedure for relocating targets was modified
by providing that targets could be relocated within a 25 millimeter
(mm) radius sphere centered on the original target point. Prior to the
modification, relocation was permitted within a 25 mm radius circle.
However, the agency erroneously retained a provision specifying that
the radius was to be measured along the surface of the vehicle
interior. This technical conforming amendment eliminates that
provision.
DATES: Effective Date: The amendment made by this final rule is
effective March 15, 1999.
Petitions: Petitions for reconsideration must be received by March
29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Petitions for reconsideration should refer to the docket
number of this rule and be submitted to: Administrator, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The following persons at the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20590:
For non-legal issues: Dr. William Fan, Office of Crashworthiness
Standards,
[[Page 7140]]
NPS-11, telephone (202) 366-4922, facsimile (202) 366-4329, electronic
mail ``[email protected]''
For legal issues: Otto Matheke, Office of the Chief Counsel, NCC-
20, telephone (202) 366-5253, facsimile (202) 366-3820, electronic mail
``[email protected]''.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On April 8, 1997, we published a final rule (62 FR 16718) amending
the upper interior impact protection requirements in Standard No. 201
``Occupant Protection in Interior Impact'' in response to several
petitions for reconsideration. Under Standard 201, target points are
located in the upper interior of a vehicle and then struck with a test
device known as the Free Motion Headform (FMH).
One of the amendments modified the procedure for relocating target
points within a vehicle. Some target points need to be relocated
because they are not, as initially located under the Standard, suitable
for testing. For example, some points may be located on attachments to
the vehicle interior, while others may be situated in areas where it is
impossible for the specified impact area of the FMH, known as the
forehead impact zone, to contact the target point. S10(b) of the
Standard specifies a procedure for relocating such target points to
facilitate contact between the forehead impact zone and a target point.
Prior to the April 1997 final rule, the relocation procedure provided
that any target point meeting the criteria justifying relocation could
be relocated within a 25 mm radius circle measured along the contour of
the vehicle interior from the center of the original target point.
Since relocating target points may require movement in several
dimensions, the April 1997 final rule changed the relocation procedure
so that target points could be relocated within a 25 mm radius sphere.
However, the amendment retained the language indicating that the 25 mm
radius would be determined by measuring that distance along the vehicle
interior.
The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM)
wrote NHTSA on November 7, 1997 requesting clarification on a number of
issues relating to compliance with the upper interior impact
requirements of Standard 201. Among these issues was a reported
conflict between the use of a sphere to determine the boundaries of the
space within which target points could be relocated and the retention
of the language specifying that the radius of this sphere was to be
measured along contour of the vehicle interior. AIAM suggested that
this language was inappropriate and should be deleted.
We agree with AIAM. AIAM is correct in stating that measuring along
a vehicle interior is inconsistent with our decision to substitute a
sphere for a circle. The agency is issuing this technical amendment to
delete the language providing for measuring the 25 mm along the contour
of the vehicle interior.
This technical conforming amendment was not reviewed under E.O.
12866. This amendment does not have any costs or other impacts. NHTSA
has considered costs and other factors associated with this amendment,
and determined that the amendment does not change any of the
conclusions in the April 1997 final rule regarding the impacts of that
final rule, including the impacts on small businesses, manufacturers
and other entities.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 571
Motor vehicle safety.
In consideration of the foregoing, NHTSA amends 49 CFR part 571.201
as follows:
PART 571--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 571 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117 and 30166;
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.
2. Section 571.201 is amended by revising S10(b) to read as
follows:
Sec. 571.201 Standard No. 201, occupant protection in interior impact.
* * * * *
S10--Target locations.
* * * * *
(b) Except as specified in S10(c), in instances in which there is
no combination of horizontal and vertical angles specified in S8.13.4
at which the forehead impact zone of the free motion headform can
contact one of the targets located using the procedures in S10.1
through S10.13, the center of that target is moved to any location that
is within a sphere with a radius of 25 mm, centered on the center of
the original target, and that can be contacted by the forehead impact
zone at one or more combination of angles.
* * * * *
Issued: January 26, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-2938 Filed 2-11-99; 8:45 am]
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