🚛Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition
This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a petition submitted to NHTSA on July 3, 2024, by Eric Hein, Director of the Institute for Safer Trucking (petitioner), requesting that the agency commence an investigation of all van-type (also known as box) semi-trailers due to collisions with passenger vehicles and vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists) resulting in significant injuries or death due to a lack of effective side underride guards (SUGs). On August 26, 2024, NHTSA opened Defect Petition DP24- 004 to evaluate the petitioner's request. After consideration of the petition, NHTSA believes that the issues raised here are best addressed through its recent rulemaking and the ongoing actions under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Accordingly, the agency has denied the petition.
Learn More🚗Glen Canyon Motor Vehicle Regulations Postponed Indefinitely
This action further postpones the effective date for a rule published on January 13, 2025, pending judicial review.
Learn More🚗NHTSA Notice on Reporting Potential Vehicle Defects
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. This is an extension without change of a currently approved information collection on the reporting of information and documents about potential defects, "Reporting of Information And Communications About Potential Defects".
Learn More🚗Glen Canyon Motor Vehicle Regulation Delay Announced
In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2025, from President Donald J. Trump, entitled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," this action temporarily delays the effective date of a rule published on January 13, 2025, until March 21, 2025.
Learn More🚗NHTSA Denies Motor Vehicle Defect Petition for Mercedes-Benz
This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of defect petition DP22-002, submitted on April 29, 2022, by Mr. Sergio Betancourt (the petitioner) to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). The petition requests that the Agency investigate alleged "wrong-sized wrist pins" in Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the M274 engine (including the Metris minivan, GLC300, and C300). After conducting a technical review of the petitioner's submissions, information provided by Mercedes-Benz in response to the Agency's Information Request, and data within its own files, NHTSA has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to warrant further action at this time. Accordingly, the Agency has denied the petition.
Learn More🚗New Regulatory Framework for ADS and Vehicle Safety by NHTSA
This document proposes a voluntary framework for the evaluation and oversight of motor vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS). The ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP) would establish a national program for ADS-equipped vehicles that operate or may operate on public roads in the United States under NHTSA's oversight with the goal of improving public transparency related to the safety of certain ADS-equipped vehicles, while allowing for responsible development of this technology. This proposal includes procedures for application, participation, public reporting, and program administration. It identifies content requirements for applications, including independent assessments of ADS safety processes, such as the safety cases used and conformance to industry standards. These application requirements will inform NHTSA's decisions on terms and conditions for participation. The proposal also contains reporting requirements for participants, including periodic and event-triggered reporting.
Learn More🚗NHTSA Proposes New Electronic Recall Notification Requirements
In accordance with the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), NHTSA is proposing to amend the means of required recall notification to include notification by electronic means, in addition to first-class mail, and proposing certain other attendant obligations related to this requirement. NHTSA is also proposing to revise certain language that is currently required for recall notifications, as well as to update certain language in the regulation and the office designation for NHTSA's Recall Management Division and NHTSA's web address.
Learn More💼2025 Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment - Labor Impact
The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Department, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The Inflation Adjustment Act requires the Department to annually adjust its civil money penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. The Inflation Adjustment Act provides that agencies shall adjust civil monetary penalties notwithstanding section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, the Inflation Adjustment Act provides a cost- of-living formula for adjustment of the civil penalties. Accordingly, this final rule sets forth the Department's 2025 annual adjustments for inflation to its civil monetary penalties.
Learn More🚗New Federal Standards for Child Restraint Systems by 2025
This final rule amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225; Child restraint systems, and FMVSS No. 213b; Child restraint systems, to improve ease-of-use of the lower and tether anchorages, improve correct use of child restraint systems in vehicles, and maintain or improve the correct use and effectiveness of child restraint systems (CRSs) in motor vehicles. This final rule fulfills a mandate of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP- 21) requiring that NHTSA improve the ease-of-use for lower anchorages and tethers in all rear seat positions.
Learn More🚗New Seat Belt Warning System Regulations for Vehicle Manufacturers
This document amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant crash protection," to require a seat belt use warning system for rear seats. The rule also updates and enhances the current seat belt warning requirements for the driver's seat belt and extends these requirements to the front outboard passenger seat. The final rule applies (with some exceptions) to passenger cars, trucks, most buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less. This document also makes related amendments to FMVSS No. 101, "Controls and displays."
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