Interpretation ID: 0186

M. Guy Dorleans
Legal Compliance Department
Valeo Vision 34, rue St-AndrJ
93012 Bobigny Cedex
France

Dear M. Dorleans:

We have received your letter of July 15, 1994, asking whether certain front lamp designs would be permissible under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.

In the basic front lamp design, the upper beam photometrics of Figure 17A would be provided by Lamps A and B. You have asked whether it is possible to add Lamp D, "an auxiliary driving beam." In this variation "all three A, B and D filaments would be permanently energized together in high beam mode and table 17a (sic) of FMVSS 108 is then fulfilled." Lamp D meets the photometric requirements of SAE Standard J581 JUN89 Auxiliary Driving Lamps.

The photometrics of Figure 17A apply to two-lamp integral beam or two-lamp combination headlighting systems, and the design in your drawing is that of a four-lamp system, subject to the photometrics of Figure 15A. This configuration is not permissible under Standard No. 108.

Sincerely,

John Womack Acting Chief Counsel ref:108 d:8/31/94