[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49362-49363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16631]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2005-22027]


Notice of Technical Workshop and Demonstration--Wednesday, 
September 21, 2005

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

ACTION: Notice of technical workshop and demonstration.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that NHTSA will hold a compliance test 
program workshop to discuss and demonstrate the Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance (OVSC) Laboratory Test Procedure (TP) for the 
agency's safety standard for tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). 
Vehicle manufacturers, tier-one TPMS suppliers, TPMS component 
manufacturers, and other interested persons with technical knowledge of 
TPMS who wish to participate in the workshop are asked to pre-register 
and are invited to submit related technical issues for discussion at 
the meeting.

DATES: Workshop: The workshop and demonstration of the test procedure 
will be held on September 21, 2005 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (If a 
second day is needed, the workshop will extend into September 22, 
2005.)
    Pre-registration: Persons wishing to participate in the workshop 
should contact NHTSA at the address or electronic mail listed below by 
August 31, 2005. (Due to space limitations, NHTSA may have to limit the 
number of participants per organization.)
    Submission of Agenda Issues: Written suggestions regarding 
technical issues to be included in the agenda should be submitted to 
the address below and must be received by the agency on or before 
August 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Workshop: The workshop and demonstration will be held in San 
Angelo, Texas near the OVSC San Angelo Test Facility. Directions to the 
meeting location and a final agenda will be sent to registered 
participants.
    Submission of Agenda Issues: You may submit comments identified by 
DOT DMS Docket Number NHTSA 2005-22027 by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-001.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number for this technical workshop notice. Note that all 
comments received will be posted without change to http://dms.dot.gov, 
including any personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read comments received, go to 
http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL-401 on the plaza level of 
the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues, contact Theresa 
Lacuesta, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, NVS-221, National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 366-2319, facsimile (202) 366-
3081, electronic mail ``[email protected]''. For registration, 
contact Lorri Hamn at the same address, telephone (202) 366-9896, 
facsimile (202) 493-2266, electronic mail ``[email protected]''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 8, 2005, NHTSA published a final 
rule establishing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 
138, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (70 FR 18136). This final rule 
requires new passenger cars, multi-purpose passenger vehicles, trucks, 
and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg (10,000 
pounds) or less, except those with dual wheels on an axle, to be 
equipped with a TPMS to alert the driver when one or more of the 
vehicle's tires, up to a total of all four tires, is significantly 
under-inflated. Specifically, the TPMS must be capable of detecting 
when the pressure in one or more of the vehicle's tires is 25 percent 
or more below the vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold inflation 
pressure or a minimum activation pressure specified in the standard, 
whichever is higher. As reflected in the final rule, FMVSS No. 138 is a 
performance standard. Petitions for reconsideration of the final rule 
have been received and may be viewed on DOT Web site http://dms.dot.gov, (reference docket number NHTSA-2005-20586). The scope of 
this workshop is strictly limited to issues surrounding implementation 
of OVSC Laboratory Test Procedure TP-138, including subsequent 
amendments, if any, resulting from the agency's response to petitions 
for reconsideration. TP-138 is posted on the NHTSA Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov (under ``Test Procedures'' on the Vehicles and 
Equipment page).
    To enable interested parties and NHTSA personnel to discuss the 
questions concerning TP-138, NHTSA believes that it would be desirable 
to hold a technical workshop and demonstration on the test procedure. 
As noted above, persons wishing to participate in the workshop are 
requested to notify Lori Hamn by facsimile, mail or electronic mail no 
later than August 31, 2005. Prospective attendees should indicate their 
name, title, and organizational affiliation. Once the agency compiles a 
list of all prospective attendees, NHTSA will determine whether the 
number of participants per organization must be limited due to space 
constraints.
    In order to facilitate discussions, the agency requests that 
interested parties submit written suggestions regarding topics 
pertaining to TP-138 for inclusion in the agenda for this workshop. 
Copies of all written submissions and the final agenda will be placed 
in the docket for this notice. The agency will include as many of the 
suggested topics in the final agenda as appropriate. The following is a 
preliminary agenda for the workshop.

Agenda

    The workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. on September 21, 2005 and 
conclude by 5 p.m. The agency has not decided if

[[Page 49363]]

physical demonstrations will be included. If physical demonstrations 
are conducted, sessions may extend into September 22, 2005.

I. Introduction
II. Background Information on the San Angelo Test Facility and 
Treadwear Test Course
III. FMVSS No. 138 Final Rule Highlights
IV. OVSC Test Procedure TP-138 Content
    A. Overview of Suggested Test Equipment and Instrumentation
    B. Test Preparation Requirements
    C. Test Execution
V. Vehicle Manufacturer Test Specification Form
VI. Issues with Test Procedure TP-138
VII. Questions & Answers
VIII. Simulated and/or Physical Demonstration of a TPMS-Equipped 
Vehicle Using the Test Procedures

    Issued: August 17, 2004.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle, Safety Compliance.

    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register August 17, 2005.
[FR Doc. 05-16631 Filed 8-22-05; 8:45 am]
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