[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 2, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29617-29618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13957]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. NHTSA-98-4422]
RIN 2127-AE22


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Seat Belt Assembly 
Anchorages

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Withdrawal of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This notice withdraws a proposed rulemaking action to amend 
Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 210 Seat Belt Assembly 
Anchorages. The proposed amendment would require that the lap belt 
angle for rear adjustable seats be measured in the rearmost adjustment 
position. However, the agency has determined that the proposed 
amendment may reduce vehicle safety and affect some front adjustable 
anchorage locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information: Mr. John 
Lee, Office of Crashworthiness, NPS-11, Telephone (202) 366-2264. FAX 
number (202) 493-2739, Mr. Lee's e-mail address is: [email protected].
    For legal information: Mr. Otto Matheke, Office of Chief Counsel, 
NHTSA, (202) 366-5263 Fax number (202) 366-3820.
    Both may be reached at: National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal motor vehicle safety standard 
(Standard) No. 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages specifies performance 
requirements for safety belt anchorages to ensure their proper location 
for effective occupant protection and to reduce the likelihood of the 
anchorages' failure in a crash. The requirements of the standard apply 
to passenger cars, trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles 
(MPVs). The standard sets zones within the vehicle where the anchorage 
must be located. The anchorage for a lap belt or the lap portion of a 
lap/shoulder belt is required to meet a minimum and maximum mounting 
angle. The standard also sets minimum strength requirements.
    On December 4, 1991, NHTSA published a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the lap belt angle measurement procedure for 
adjustable rear seats of Standard No. 210. The current procedure 
measures the angle from the seat aligned with the seating reference 
point. The proposed procedure measured the lap belt angle with the seat 
in the rearmost adjustable position. The intent of the amendment was to 
establish a more easily identified seat position for measuring the lap 
belt angle of the moveable rearward seats. The agency believed the 
seating reference point may not have been an adequate reference point 
for these rearward moveable seats.
    The agency received five comments to the NPRM. All were opposed to 
the proposal as written. One commenter, Ford Motor Company (Ford), 
stated, ``* * * the proposal may reduce vehicle safety, by requiring 
that anchorages be located in positions that produce a flatter lap belt 
angle than is ideal when the seat is adjusted to a forward adjustment 
position. Ford suggest that anchorages for rear adjustable seats be 
located from the hip point of the template when the seat is in the 
middle of its adjustment range.'' Ford also stated, ``* * * an 18 month 
leadtime would be insufficient if anchorages were to be relocated as 
proposed.''
    Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and GM were concerned about the proposed 
wording of S4.3.1.1(b) in which ``* * * a line 2.5 inches forward of 
and 0.375 inches above the seating reference point * * *'' is replaced 
by ``* * * a line from the seating reference point to the contact point 
of the belt with the anchorage * * *'' would be a substantial 
rulemaking. The change could affect the dummy kinematics during 
Standard No. 208 testing as well as the anchorage location at front 
adjustable seats, not just the rear adjustable seats. Chrysler stated, 
``As

[[Page 29618]]

written, the amendment would substantially change the anchorage 
location requirements for lap belts or the lap portion of the lap/
shoulder belts at front adjustable seats, not just those at rear 
adjustable seats. Since the agency did not present an argument to 
support changing the location requirements for anchorages at front 
center seating positions, we conclude that the modification to the 
existing language to that end was inadvertent. In any event, we would 
not support such a change if it were proposed.'' GM stated, ``GM 
supports the agency's intent to clarify any ambiguity in the standard 
regarding adjustable rear seat positions, but can not support the 
actual proposal because of its effect on the front seating position 
requirements.''
    Volkswagen of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) recommends that the 
proposed amendment be revised to change the words ``rearmost position'' 
to ``rearmost normal design driving or riding position as designated by 
the manufacturer.'' The reference to ``rearmost position'' could create 
difficulties with regard to special seats such as those in the rear 
seat of passenger cars or MPVs where a storage compartment or battery 
might be located under the seat and in which case the seat track is 
provided with special extended travel to permit access to such a 
compartment. Such a change would also make the wording of Standard No. 
210 consistent with the definition of the seating reference point in 
Sec. 571.3. VW stated that a lead time of 18 months after publication 
of the final rule is acceptable.
    After reviewing the public comments, the agency has decided to 
withdraw this rulemaking. The intent of the proposed rulemaking was to 
clarify the lap belt angle measurement test procedure for rear 
adjustable seats by measuring the lap belt angle in the rearmost 
position. The agency did not intend to decrease vehicle safety. As 
pointed out by Ford, the NPRM could cause lower or flatter lap belt 
angles and could increase the likelihood of occupant submarining. The 
proposed amendment could also affect the front anchorage locations and 
the dummy kinematics during Standard No. 208 full barrier testing.
    In conclusion, the proposed rulemaking could decrease vehicle 
safety and affect the front anchorage locations without providing any 
significant benefit. This was not the intent of this rulemaking and the 
agency is withdrawing this rulemaking action.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    Issued on: May 27, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-13957 Filed 6-1-99; 8:45 am]
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