[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27032-27034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12467]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-98-4430; Notice 1]
Application for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108--Lamps, Reflective Devices and
Associated Equipment
General Motors Corporation (GM), has determined that approximately
15,300 1998 GMC Sonoma and Chevrolet S-10 pickup trucks, and GMC Jimmy
and Chevrolet Blazer sport utility vehicles, equipped with the ``ZR2''
option package, fail to meet a requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108--Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment. Specifically, these vehicles are equipped with daytime
running lamps (DRLs) mounted higher than the maximum height allowed by
S5.5.11(a)(1)(ii) of FMVSS 108. Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120,
GM has applied to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) for a decision that the noncompliance is inconsequential to
motor vehicle safety.
GM has also submitted a 49 CFR Part 573 noncompliance notification
to the agency in accordance with 49 CFR 556.4(b)(6).
This notice of receipt of an application is published under 49
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or
other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the application.
The DRLs on the noncompliant vehicles are provided by the upper
beam headlamps operating at reduced intensity, with a maximum output of
approximately 6,700 candela per lamp. As such, FMVSS 108 requires the
DRL be mounted not higher than 34 inches (864 mm) from the road
surface. Base-level GMC Sonomas and Jimmys and Chevrolet S-10 pickups
and Blazers comply with the DRL height limitation of FMVSS 108.
However, the ZR2 option package gives the vehicles a stiffer suspension
and larger tires, which results in an over-all increase in the height
of the vehicle, including the DRL mounting height. The mean mounting
height of DRLs on the noncompliant vehicles is 36 inches above the
ground, with a maximum height of 37 inches. As a result, they fail to
meet S5.5.11(a)(1)(ii) of FMVSS 108.
GM believes that this noncompliance is inconsequential to motor
vehicle safety for the following reasons:
1. Research conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation
Research Institute (UMTRI) on the changes in glare caused by varying
mounting height of high beam DRLs confirms that the DRLs on the subject
vehicles do not produce significantly more glare than compliant DRLs.
In a report published in November of 1995 (UMTRI-95-40), the
researchers concluded glare is not appreciably affected by mounting
height. In other words, vehicles equipped with DRL lamps not meeting
the maximum height restriction do not cause any more glare than
vehicles that meet the height restriction. This is true even though the
research was conducted on lamps mounted as high as 54 inches above the
ground.
2. In addition to the UMTRI research, GM conducted subjective
evaluations that confirm the DRLs on the non-complying vehicles do not
cause a consequential increase in glare. Vehicles representative of the
subject vehicles were modified to create DRLs with mounting heights of
32, 34, 36 and 38 inches above the ground. Subjects were asked to
evaluate the glare in their rearview mirror from the DRLs. The results
indicate that there is no significant difference in glare rating when
the subject lamps are mounted at 32, 34, 36 or 38 inches above the
ground (see chart below). While a final research report is not yet
available, a summary of the research can be found in Appendix 2, to the
petition. The subject lamps received favorable ratings when evaluated
for glare. In the chart above, the lamps mounted at 36 and 38 inches
above the ground received an overall rating of 6.4, which is just below
a rating of 7 (``lamps are satisfactory'') and well above a rating of 5
(`` lamps are just acceptable'').
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3. The driver of a preceding vehicle will not see more light in the
rearview mirror than NHTSA intended when it adopted the DRL
requirements. In the preamble to the final rule allowing DRLs (Docket
No. 87-6; Notice 5 published January 11, 1993), the agency summarized a
study it conducted to help establish the height requirement. One of the
purposes of the study was to assure that a mirror of a vehicle in front
of a DRL-equipped vehicle would not be exposed to light intensities
greater than 2600 cd. In justifying the 2600 cd limit, the agency
explained,
``There are two kinds of glare: That which discomforts and that
which disables. The agency proposed 2,600 candela to limit
discomfort glare from the rear view mirror caused by vehicles with
DRLs following closely behind.''
The agency assures the glare will be below a level that could
interfere with motor vehicle safety by limiting the value to 2600 cd.
To establish the height where a DRL might generate 2600 cd in the
mirror of a preceding vehicle, the agency measured the mirror height
(44 inches) of a representative small vehicle and calculated the light
that would strike the mirror from a DRL lamp mounted on a vehicle 20
feet behind it. Based on this analysis, the agency concluded a maximum
high beam DRL mounting height of 34 inches would assure that light
striking the mirror of a preceding vehicle would not exceed 2600 cd.
GM evaluated light from the noncomplying vehicles with the DRL
mounted at 37 inches, which is in the most extreme build condition and
worst case, for purposes of this analysis. The light from this
condition striking a mirror mounted 44 inches above the ground and 20
feet in front of the DRL, would be below the 2600 candela limit
established by the agency in the final DRL rule.
4. The DRLs of the non complying vehicles form a very compact beam
pattern. Iso-candela curves show the intensity of the beam pattern
quickly drops off as values are measured further from the center of the
beam pattern. At approximately 1\1/2\ degrees above horizontal, the
beam pattern intensity falls below 2600 candela. Therefore, the driver
of a preceding vehicles will not see significant light in the rear view
mirror (see diagram below).
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5. The mounting height of the DRLs on the non complying vehicles
complies with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(CMVSS) 108.
6. GM has not identified any accidents, injuries or warranty
reports that are associated with this condition on the non complying
vehicles.
For all of the above reasons, GM argues that this noncompliance is
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. In consideration of the
foregoing, GM has applied for a decision that it be exempted from the
notification and remedy provisions of 49 USC 30118 and 30120 for this
specific noncompliance with FMVSS No.108.
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments on the application described above. Comments should refer to
the docket number and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401,
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. It is requested but not
required that six copies be submitted. Docket hours are 10:00 A.M. to
5:00 P.M.
All comments received before the close of business on the closing
date indicated below will be considered. The application and supporting
materials, and all comments received after the closing date, will also
be filed and will be considered to the extent practicable. When the
application is granted or denied, the notice will be published in the
Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
Comment closing date: June 17, 1999.
(49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50
and 501.8)
Issued on: May 12, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-12467 Filed 5-17-99; 8:45 am]
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