[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53445-53446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25548]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-99-6270]


Notice of Public Meeting for Strategies to Address the Potential 
for Driver Distraction Due to Emerging Vehicle Technologies

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: On October 15, 1999, NHTSA will conduct a public meeting to 
discuss strategies for realizing the benefits of advanced driver 
assistance and information technologies without compromising safety. 
These new technologies, known as telematics, include a range of 
automotive devices to transmit, receive, or display information. The 
intent of this meeting is to share viewpoints, information, and 
findings, if any, relative to the safety impact of telematics devices 
among the public, industry, government, and safety groups. Topics to be 
discussed include the need for research to understand the safety 
implications of telematics, the role of various entities in promoting 
best practices in the design and use of these devices, and 
opportunities for proper evaluation of the safety impacts of such 
systems to ensure the safe design, application, and use of telematics 
devices.

DATES: Public Meeting: NHTSA will hold the public meeting on October 
15, 1999, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    Written Comments: The agency has established Docket No. NHTSA-99-
6270 as a repository for comment on issues related to the safety of 
telematics devices. Written comments may be made to this docket at any 
time.

ADDRESSES: Public Meeting: The public meeting will be held in room 
2230, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington DC 20590.
    Written Comments: If you wish to submit written comments on the 
issues related to or discussed at this meeting, they should refer to 
Docket No. NHTSA-99-6270 and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room 
PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590 (Docket hours 
are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. August Burgett, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Research, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590 
(telephone 202-366-5663, A[email protected]) or Dr. Jeffrey 
Michael, EMS Division, NTS-14, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590 (telephone 202-366-4299, J[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The increasing utilization of certain advanced technologies in 
automobiles brings both the promise of safety enhancement and concerns 
about safety compromises due to the potential of crash causation. 
Technologies which transmit, receive, or display information from an 
automobile have collectively been termed telematics, and include 
devices such as automatic collision notification systems, navigation 
systems, and driver warning systems, as well as in-vehicle fax 
machines, telephones, and other communication equipment.
    Many of the functions performed by these devices promise direct 
safety benefits, for example automatic notification of emergency 
personnel following a crash or hazard alerts to inform drivers of 
dangerous traffic and roadway conditions. However, devices which 
provide drivers with additional information could also distract the 
driver from the task of operating the vehicle and increase the risk of 
crashes.

B. Public Meeting

    On October 15, 1999, NHTSA will conduct a public meeting, providing 
a forum for industry, safety, research groups, and the general public 
to discuss strategies for realizing the safety and other benefits of 
telematics technologies without compromising safety. The intent of this 
meeting is to share viewpoints, information, and findings relative to 
the issue of the safety impact of telematics devices. Topics to be 
discussed include current research plans among stakeholders, the need 
for further research to understand the safety implications of 
telematics, the role of policies to promote best practices in the 
design and use of these devices,

[[Page 53446]]

and opportunities for proper evaluation of the safety impact of these 
systems to ensure the safe design, application, and use of telematics 
devices.

C. Written Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments on this notice. 
Two copies should be submitted to Docket Management at the address 
given at the beginning of this document. Comments must not exceed 15 
pages in length (49 CFR 553.21). Necessary attachments may be appended 
to these submissions without regard to the 15-page limit. This 
limitation is intended to encourage commenters to detail their primary 
arguments in a concise fashion.
    If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim 
of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including 
purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to 
the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and two 
copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been 
deleted should be submitted to Docket Management. A request for 
confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth 
the information specified in the agency's confidential business 
information regulation, 49 CFR part 512.

    Issued on: September 27, 1999.
Raymond P. Owings,
Associate Administrator for Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 99-25548 Filed 9-30-99; 8:45 am]
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