[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7090-7097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02548]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 541

[Docket No. NHTSA-2012-0073]


Final Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

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

ACTION: Publication of 2011 final theft data.

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SUMMARY: This document publishes the final data on thefts of model year 
(MY) 2011 passenger motor vehicles that occurred in calendar year (CY) 
2011. The 2011 final theft data shows a decrease in the vehicle theft 
rate experienced in CY/MY 2011 compared to CY/MY 2010. The final theft 
rate for MY 2011 passenger vehicles stolen in CY 2011 is 0.99 thefts 
per thousand vehicles, a decrease of 15.38 percent from the rate of 
1.17 thefts per thousand in 2010. Publication of these data fulfills 
NHTSA's statutory obligation to periodically obtain accurate and timely 
theft data and publish the information for review and comment.

DATES: Effective Date: February 6, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Deborah Mazyck, Office of 
International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's telephone 
number is (202) 366-4139. Her fax number is (202) 493-2990.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA administers a program for reducing 
motor vehicle theft. The central feature of this program is the Federal 
Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, 49 CFR Part 541. The standard 
specifies performance requirements for inscribing and affixing vehicle 
identification numbers (VINs) onto certain major original equipment and 
replacement parts of high-theft lines of passenger motor vehicles.
    The agency is required by 49 U.S.C. 33104(b)(4) to periodically 
obtain, from the most reliable source, accurate and timely theft data 
and publish the data for review and comment. To fulfill this statutory 
mandate, NHTSA has published theft data annually beginning with MYs 
1983/84. Continuing to fulfill the section 33104(b)(4) mandate, this 
document reports the final theft data for CY 2011, the most recent 
calendar year for which data are available.
    In calculating the 2011 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same 
procedures it used in calculating the MY 2010 theft rates. (For 2010 
theft data calculations, see 77 FR 58500, September 21, 2012). As in 
all previous reports, NHTSA's data were based on information provided 
to NHTSA by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The NCIC is a government system that 
receives vehicle theft information from nearly 23,000 criminal justice 
agencies and other law enforcement authorities throughout the United 
States. The NCIC data also include reported thefts of self-insured and 
uninsured vehicles, not all of which are reported to other data 
sources.
    The 2011 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by 
dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 2011 vehicles of that line 
stolen during CY 2011 by the total number of vehicles in that line 
manufactured for MY 2011, as reported to the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA).
    The 2011 final theft data show a decrease in the vehicle theft rate 
when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 2010. The final 
theft rate for MY 2011 passenger vehicles stolen in CY 2011 decreased 
to 0.99 thefts per thousand vehicles produced, a decrease of 15.38 
percent from the rate of 1.17 thefts per thousand vehicles experienced 
by MY 2010 vehicles in CY 2010. A similar decreasing trend in vehicle 
thefts was reported in the FBI's 2011 Uniform Crime Report showing a 
3.3% reduction in motor vehicle thefts (automobiles, trucks, buses and 
other vehicles) from 2010 to 2011.
    For MY 2011 vehicles, out of a total of 225 vehicle lines, four 
lines had a theft rate higher than 3.5826 per thousand vehicles, the 
established median theft rate for MYs 1990/1991. (See 59 FR 12400, 
March 16, 1994). All four are passenger car lines.
    NHTSA's data show that the MY 2011 theft rate reduction is 
consistent with the general decreasing trend of theft rates over the 
past 18 years as indicated by Figure 1. The agency continues to believe 
that the theft rate reduction is the result of several factors 
including the increased use of standard antitheft devices (i.e., 
immobilizers) and vehicle parts marking as well as the effectiveness of 
combined measures used by federal agencies, law enforcement, vehicle 
manufacturers and the insurance industry to help combat vehicle theft.

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    On August 16, 2013, NHTSA published the preliminary theft rates for 
CY 2011 passenger motor vehicles in the Federal Register (78 FR 50014, 
August 16, 2013). The agency tentatively ranked each of the MY 2011 
vehicle lines in descending order of theft rate. The public was 
requested to comment on the accuracy of the data and to provide final 
production figures for individual vehicle lines. The agency used 
written comments to make the necessary adjustments to its data. As a 
result of the adjustments, some of the final theft rates and rankings 
of vehicle lines changed from those published in the August 2013 
notice.
    The agency received a written comment from Volvo Cars of America 
(Volvo). In its comments, Volvo informed the agency that the production 
volume for the Volvo XC60 was incorrect. In response to this comment, 
the production volume for the Volvo XC60 has been corrected and the 
final theft data has been revised accordingly. As a result of the 
correction, the Volvo XC60 previously ranked No. 135 with a theft rate 
of 0.5241 is now ranked No. 162 with a theft rate of 0.3319.
    Further review of the final theft list revealed that the model name 
of the Hyundai Genesis was erroneously listed in the agency's August 
2013 correction publication of preliminary data. The correct name 
designation for the vehicle ranked No. 83 (General Motorssis) should be 
changed to the Hyundai Genesis. The final theft rate list has been 
revised to reflect the correct model name.
    Reanalysis of the preliminary theft data revealed that the 
numbering sequence of the vehicle lines was incorrect. The sequence 
omitted row No. 100. The final theft data has been revised to reflect 
the correct numbering sequence. As a result of the changes in the 
numbering sequence, the theft data reflects 225 vehicles for MY 2011.
    The following list represents NHTSA's final calculation of theft 
rates for all 2011 passenger motor vehicle lines. This list is intended 
to inform the public of calendar year 2011 motor vehicle thefts of 
model year 2011 vehicles and does not have any effect on the 
obligations of regulated parties under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 331, Theft 
Prevention.
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

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Christopher J. Bonanti,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2014-02548 Filed 2-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-C