Regulations

As part of a comprehensive plan for reducing the serious risk of rollover crashes and the risk of death and serious injury in those crashes, this rule establishes Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 126 to require electronic stability control (ESC) systems on passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 Kg (10,000 pounds) or less. ESC systems use automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to assist the driver in maintaining control in critical driving situations. NHTSA estimates ESC will reduce single-vehicle crashes of passenger cars by 34% and single vehicle crashes of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) by 59%, with a much greater reduction of rollover crashes. NHTSA estimates ESC would save 5,300 to 9,600 lives and prevent 156,000 to 238,000 injuries in all types of crashes annually once all light vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC.

As part of a comprehensive plan for reducing the serious risk of rollover crashes and the risk of death and serious injury in those crashes, this rule establishes Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 126 to require electronic stability control (ESC) systems on passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 Kg (10,000 pounds) or less. ESC systems use automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to assist the driver in maintaining control in critical driving situations. NHTSA estimates ESC will reduce single-vehicle crashes of passenger cars by 34% and single vehicle crashes of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) by 59%, with a much greater reduction of rollover crashes. NHTSA estimates ESC would save 5,300 to 9,600 lives and prevent 156,000 to 238,000 injuries in all types of crashes annually once all light vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC.

49 CFR Part 571

Amends the FMVSS on air brake systems to improve the stopping distance performance of truck tractors. The rule requires the vast majority of new heavy truck tractors to achieve a 30 percent reduction in stopping distance compared to currently required levels. For these heavy truck tractors (approximately 99 percent of the fleet), the amended standard requires those vehicles to stop in not more than 250 feet when loaded to their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and tested at a speed of 60 miles per hour (mph). For a small number of very heavy severe service tractors, the stopping distance requirement will be 310 feet under these same conditions. In addition, this final rule requires that all heavy truck tractors must stop within 235 feet when loaded to their “lightly loaded vehicle weight” (LLVW).

Regarding trailers with antilock brake systems being equipped with an external antilock malfunction indicator lamp

The agency estimates that approximately 79 fatalities per year (13 on-road and 66 off-road) and 148 injuries per year are attributable to straight trucks backing up. The agency believes that requiring a rear detection system will reduce the number of fatalities, injuries, and property damage crashes by giving truck operators the ability to detect objects behind the truck. In this analysis, we examine two possible counter-measures: a cross-view mirror system and a camera system.

The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007 directs NHTSA issue a final rule amending the agency’s Federal motor vehicle safety standard on rearview mirrors to improve the ability of a driver to detect pedestrians in the area immediately behind his or her vehicle and thereby minimize the likelihood of a vehicle’s striking a pedestrian while its driver is backing the vehicle. Pursuant to this mandate, NHTSA is proposing to expand the required field of view for all passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, buses, and low-speed vehicles rated at 10,000 pounds or less, gross vehicle weight. NHTSA is proposing to specify an area immediately behind each vehicle that the driver must be able to see when the vehicle’s transmission is in reverse. It appears that, in the near term, the only technology available with the ability to comply with this proposal would be a rear visibility system that includes a rear-mounted video camera and an in-vehicle visual display. Adoption of this proposal would significantly reduce fatalities and injuries caused by backover crashes involving children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and other pedestrians.

49 CFR Part 571

Issues related to glare produced by lamps mounted on the fronts of vehicles

49 CFR Part 571

Issues related to glare produced by lamps mounted on the fronts of vehicles

49 CFR Part 571

Nissan filed a petition requesting exemption from the two fleet rule for the 2006-2010 model years. The two fleet rule, which is contained in the CAFE statute, requires that a manufacturer divide its passenger automobiles into two fleets, a domestically-manufactured fleet and a non-domestically manufactured fleet, and ensure that each fleet separately meets the CAFE standards for passenger automobiles. The CAFE statute requires NHTSA to grant such a petition unless it finds that doing so would result in reduced employment in the U.S. related to motor vehicle manufacturing. NHTSA’s analysis does not support a finding that granting the petition would reduce automotive manufacturing employment in the United States. Accordingly, in this notice, NHTSA is granting Nissan’s petition.

Proposes a broad new consumer information program for replacement tires to inform consumers about the effect of tires on fuel efficiency, safety, and durability. This consumer information program would implement a national tire fuel efficiency rating system for replacement tires, with the information provided to consumers at the point of sale and online. Fuel efficiency ratings are expected to inform consumers so that they will be better informed about replacement tire performance. This consumer information program seeks to enhance energy security and reduce costs by improving fuel economy. Information would also be provided about safety and durability.