[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30230-30231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12096]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0033]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Notice and request for public comments on a proposed collection 
of information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information. NHTSA invites 
public comments about our intention to request OMB approval for a new 
collection of information. The collection involves eligibility, 
demographic, scheduling preferences, and debriefing questionnaires. The 
information will be used to recruit participants for a research study 
that focuses on driver response with various automatic transmission 
gear selector designs during routine and emergency simulated driving 
scenarios.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 28, 2014.

ADDRESS: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2014-0033 through one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the electronic 
docket site by clicking ``Help'' or ``FAQs.''
    Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. Hand delivered 
documents accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal Holidays. Telephone: (202) 366-9826.
    Fax: (202) 493-2251
    Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and the 
Docket number for this proposed collection of information. Note that 
all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000
    (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For background documents, contact Lisa 
Gavin, Office of Crash Avoidance Standards (NVS-121), U.S. Department 
of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, West 
Building, W43-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 
Ms. Gavin can be reached at (202) 366-9291.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must be 
included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must request public comment on the following:
    (i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collection of information:
    Title: Recruitment and Debriefing of Human Subjects for Research 
Related to Motor Vehicle Gear Selection Controls
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-New.

[[Page 30231]]

    Form Number: N/A.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Upon completion of the 
study.
    Abstract: The introduction of electronically-controlled 
transmissions has allowed much greater freedom in the design of driver 
interfaces, with the result that drivers are being confronted with new 
and different types of gear selector controls--joysticks, push buttons, 
rotary knobs, etc. This information collection is incidental to the 
recruitment of participants for human-factors studies designed to 
measure the ability of drivers to adapt to unfamiliar types of gear-
selection controls. There is no known published usability research 
related to these new types of driver interfaces.
    The proposed studies will examine driver response to non-
traditional gear selector configurations in routine and emergency 
simulated driving scenarios, noting driver confusion, distraction and 
unintended consequences due to the unconventional gear selector 
configuration. The research method consists of driving simulations to 
collect objective and subjective data about six different gear selector 
types. Approximately 500 drivers will respond to the request for 
participants. It is estimated that of the 500 respondents, 360 will 
ultimately be recruited and participate. The estimated burden hours 
were calculated for the pre and post experiment questionnaires and for 
performing the driving tasks for the 500 respondents accordingly.
    Participants will be tested individually in a driving simulator 
located at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe 
Center), which will conduct this research under an Intra-Agency 
Agreement (IAA) with NHTSA. The information being collected consists of 
that required for scheduling appointments and for balancing the subject 
sample across age groups, gender, and previous driving experience with 
various motor vehicle gear selector configurations. The experimental 
data will contain the demographic and past-experience descriptors for 
each participant, but no personally identifiable information. During or 
after the experimental sessions, participants may be queried regarding 
their perceptions and preferences about various aspects of gear-
selection controls.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information: The collection of information consists of: (1) An 
eligibility questionnaire, (2) a demographic questionnaire; (3) 
scheduling preferences; and (4) post-experiment questionnaires. The 
information to be collected will be used to:
     Eligibility questionnaire will be used to obtain self-
reported driving history information. Individuals interested in 
participating in the study will be asked to provide information about 
their driving history (e.g., years of driving experience, daily driving 
usage, familiarity with different types of gear selectors). Individuals 
will be excluded from participating in the experiment if they do not 
have a valid driver license.
     Demographic questionnaire will be used to obtain 
demographic information to confirm that the study group includes 
participants from various age groups and both genders.
     Scheduling preferences will be used to establish a 
convenient time for the participants to visit the Volpe Center.
     Post-experiment questionnaire will be used to gather 
information about drivers' beliefs and attitude towards each gear 
selector configuration tested, and to explore respondent knowledge of 
how a motor vehicle will likely respond when shifted to positions other 
than Drive at highway speed. These questionnaires will also be used to 
assess perceived usability of the various gear selector configurations 
in terms of acceptance and satisfaction, as well as willingness to have 
a particular gear selector configuration in their vehicle.
    Respondents: drivers with a valid driver license.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Number of Respondents Selected: 360.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 595 hours (1 hour and 38 minutes per 
selected respondent and 3 minutes per respondent not selected.)
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency's performance of 
its functions; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for 
the agency to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways that the burden could be 
minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize your comments and the agency's responses in 
the request for OMB clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. chap. 
35; 49 U.S.C. 30181-83; under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.95

Claude H. Harris,
Acting Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2014-12096 Filed 5-23-14; 8:45 am]
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