[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 223 (Monday, November 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58738-58739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29409]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Research and Development Programs Meeting

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting at which NHTSA will 
describe and discuss specific research and development projects. 
Further, the notice requests suggestions for topics to be presented by 
the agency.

DATES AND TIMES: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
will hold a public meeting devoted primarily to presentations of 
specific research and development projects on December 11, 1996, 
beginning at 1:30 p.m. and ending at approximately 5:00 p.m. The 
deadline for interested parties to suggest agenda topics is 4:15 p.m. 
on November 22, 1996. Questions may be submitted in advance regarding 
the agency's research and development projects. They must be submitted 
in writing by November 29, 1996, to the address given below. If 
sufficient time is available, questions received after the November 29 
date will be answered at the meeting in the discussion period. The 
individual, group, or company asking a question does not have to be 
present for the question to be answered. A consolidated list of the 
questions submitted by November 29 will be available at the meeting and 
will be mailed to requesters after the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Royce Hotel, Detroit Metro 
Airport, 31500 Wick Road, Romulus, Michigan 48174. Suggestions for 
specific R&D topics as described below and questions for the December 
11, 1996, meeting relating to the agency's research and development 
programs should be submitted to the Office of the Associate 
Administrator for Research and Development, NRD-01, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Room 6206, 400 Seventh St., SW, 
Washington, DC 20590. The fax number is 202-366-5930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA intends to provide detailed 
presentations about its research and development programs in a series 
of public meetings. The series started in April 1993. The purpose is to 
make available more complete and timely information regarding the 
agency's research and development programs. This fifteenth meeting in 
the series will be held on December 11, 1996.
    NHTSA requests suggestions from interested parties on the specific 
agenda topics to be presented. NHTSA will base its decisions about the 
agenda, in part, on the suggestions it receives by close of business at 
4:15 p.m. on November 22, 1996. Before the meeting, it will publish a 
notice with an agenda listing the research and development topics to be 
discussed. The agenda can also be obtained by calling or faxing the 
information numbers listed elsewhere in this notice. NHTSA asks that 
the suggestions be limited to six, in priority order, so that the 
presentations at the December 11 R&D meeting can be most useful to the 
audience. Specific R&D topics are listed below. Many of these topics 
have been discussed at previous meetings. Suggestions for agenda topics 
are not restricted to this listing, and interested parties are invited 
to suggest other R&D topics of specific interest to their 
organizations.

Specific R&D Topic is

    On-line tracking system for NHTSA's research projects.

Specific Crashworthiness R&D Topics Are

Air bag assessment research,
Improved frontal crash protection (program status, problem 
identification, offset testing),
Advanced glazing research,
Vehicle aggressivity and fleet compatibility,
Upgrade side crash protection,
Upgrade seat and occupant restraint systems,
Child safety research (ISOFIX),
Child restraint/air bag interaction (CRABI) dummy testing,
Truck crashworthiness/occupant protection,
Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN),
National Transportation Biomechanics Research Center (NTBRC),
Head and neck injury research,
Lower extremity injury research,
Thorax injury research,
Human injury simulation and analysis,
Refinements to the Hybrid III dummy, and
Advanced frontal test dummy.

Specific Crash Avoidance R&D Topics Are

Strategic plan for NHTSA's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) 
crash avoidance research,
Anti-lock brake systems (ABS) research plan,
Truck tire traction,
Portable data acquisition system for crash avoidance research (DASCAR),
Systems to enhance EMS response (automatic collision notification),
Crash causal analysis,
Human factors guidelines for crash avoidance warning devices,
Longer combination vehicle safety,
Drowsy driver monitoring,
Driver workload assessment,
Pedestrian detection devices for school bus safety,
Preliminary rearend collision avoidance system guidelines,
Preliminary road departure collision avoidance system guidelines,
Preliminary intersection collision avoidance system guidelines, and
iminary lane change/merge collision avoidance system guidelines.

National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) Topics Are

Status of National Accident Sampling System (NASS), including 
implementation of electronic data collection and changes in sampling,
New Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) grants, and Special 
crash investigation studies of air bag cases.

    Separately, questions regarding research projects that have been 
submitted in writing not later than close of business on November 29, 
1996, will be answered. A transcript of the meeting, copies of 
materials handed out at the meeting, and copies of the suggestions 
offered by commenters will be available for public inspection in the 
NHTSA's Technical Reference Division,

[[Page 58739]]

Room 5108, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590. Copies of the 
transcript will then be available at 10 cents a page, upon request to 
NHTSA's Technical Reference Division. The Technical Reference Division 
is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    NHTSA will provide technical aids to participants as necessary, 
during the Research and Development Programs Meeting. Thus, any person 
desiring the assistance of ``auxiliary aids'' (e.g., sign- language 
interpreter, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TTDs), 
readers, taped texts, braille materials, or large print materials and/
or a magnifying device), please contact Rita Gibbons on 202-366-4862 by 
close of business December 2, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rita Gibbons, Staff Assistant, Office 
of Research and Development, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590. Telephone: 202-366-4862. Fax number: 202-366-5930.

    Issued: November 12, 1996.
William A. Boehly,
Associate Administrator for Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 96-29409 Filed 11-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P