[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61269-61271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25798]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2013-0009]


Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before November 9, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503, Attention: NHTSA Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Elizabeth Mazzae, Applied Crash 
Avoidance Research Division, Vehicle Research and Test Center, NHTSA, 
10820 State Route 347--Bldg. 60, East Liberty, Ohio 43319; Telephone 
(937) 666-4511; Facsimile: (937) 666-3590; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Before a Federal agency can collect certain 
information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB). In compliance with these requirements, 
this notice announces that the following information collection request 
has been forwarded to OMB. In the April 30, 2015, Federal Register,\1\ 
NHTSA published a 60-day notice requesting public comment on the 
proposed collection of information. We received two comments.
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    \1\ 80 FR 24314 (April 30, 2015).
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    First, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (the ``Alliance'')

[[Page 61270]]

expressed concern with NHTSA's ``continued focus on simulator 
research'' as a basis for our driver distraction guidance. 
Specifically, the Alliance stated ``that the study method proposed will 
not yield the meaningful and reliable metrics that will assist in 
saving lives and preventing crashes. Instead, such metrics and 
acceptance criteria should be developed using naturalistic driving 
data.'' The Alliance qualified that this advice would not preclude the 
use of simulators for conducting development tests, but such tests and 
any auditory-vocal distraction metrics should be validated and 
calibrated against real-world data before putting forth 
recommendations. The Alliance also noted studies on auditory-vocal 
distraction it believes NHTSA should consider in formulating 
guidelines.
    The objectives of the current work, to develop a low-cost, 
standardized test protocol and task acceptance criteria for evaluating 
the distraction potential of tasks performed with integrated systems, 
cannot be accomplished through naturalistic research. To achieve the 
greatest degree of repeatability and experimental control, the test 
protocol will use driving simulator and visual occlusion testing.
    As the Alliance suggests, NHTSA will be conducting an on-road 
component to its research supporting the development of driver 
distraction guidelines for auditory-vocal interfaces that will be 
discussed in a Federal Register information collection request notice 
at a later date. NHTSA will pull from many sources in formulating its 
auditory-vocal guidelines. This will include analyzing data from NHTSA 
research studies as well as other relevant studies in this area of 
research.
    Second, American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) commented that 
the quality of the NHTSA's driver distraction measurement research 
would be enhanced if Honda's ``Pedal Tracking and Detection Response 
Task'' (PT-DRT) method was included in this NHTSA research. Honda 
proposed that NHTSA collect objective data using the PT-DRT method as 
part of the current research. Honda also indicated that they would like 
NHTSA to adopt the PT-DRT method as an acceptable alternative to the 
currently allowed task acceptance protocol in NHTSA's Driver 
Distraction Guidelines.
    NHTSA intends to conduct this research using a method that builds 
on the protocol developed for NHTSA's Visual-Manual Driver Distraction 
Guidelines and incorporates the extensively researched Detection 
Response Task (DRT). NHTSA intends for our Guidelines test protocol to 
be complementary and integrated, to the extent possible, to achieve an 
assessment that is both robust and efficient to conduct.
    NHTSA believes that the scientific basis for the DRT method being 
standardized by ISO is strong. Furthermore, the results of research by 
ISO member organizations have been robust. The DRT will provide an easy 
to implement, reliable, and well-vetted method for comparing 
distraction effects of secondary tasks with that of a reference task 
(i.e., radio tuning).
    NHTSA has received briefings and demonstrations of the PT-DRT 
method by Honda and has been impressed with their scientific, reasoned 
approach and willingness to share information with NHTSA. However, we 
feel it is most efficient and cost-effective for us at this point to 
move forward with investigating the incorporation of the well-vetted 
DRT into our driving simulator based method and not to add a second, 
new test method to the planned research. NHTSA wishes to clarify that 
the research will determine the test methods that we will use in 
evaluating auditory-vocal secondary tasks performed by drivers, vehicle 
manufacturers may use whatever method they desire to assess their own 
vehicles.
    OMB Control Number: To be issued at time of approval.
    Title: Driver Distraction Measurement Research.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Abstract: NHTSA seeks to collect information from the public as 
part of a multi-study research effort that supports the development of 
measurement techniques for auditory-vocal interactions involving in-
vehicle and portable devices used by motor vehicle drivers. Driving 
experiments will be conducted using driving simulator and visual 
occlusion apparatus research tools. Study participants will perform 
specific secondary tasks while driving and their performance and 
behavior (e.g., eye glance locations and durations) will be recorded.
    Information will be collected during participant recruitment to 
assess individuals' suitability for participation. Participants will 
complete a brief set of questions to assess the incidence and severity 
of any simulator-related discomfort. In the event a participant 
indicates they experienced severe discomfort, that participant's 
performance may be removed from the study and study staff will ensure 
that the person is well enough safely drive home or will arrange for 
another means of transportation.
    Respondents: Web-based and print newspaper advertisements will be 
used to obtain respondents who are licensed drivers aged 18-70 years. 
Study participants must have no health conditions that may adversely 
affect driving performance, have average or better vision and hearing, 
and not require assistive devices to safely operate a vehicle. Criteria 
for participation also include driving at least 3,000 miles annually 
and experience using a cell phone while driving.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: It is estimated that a total of 
1,200 individuals will complete the first set of screening questions 
and 1,000 of those 1,200 will also complete the second set of screening 
questions. Of the 1,000, it is estimated that 500 individuals will meet 
criteria for participation. From those 500, approximately 300 
individuals will be chosen to produce a balance of age and genders.
    Estimated Time per Response: Completion of the screening questions 
is estimated to take approximately 5 minutes for the first set and 10 
minutes for the second set. The simulator discomfort questionnaire is 
estimated to take 2 minutes per participant.
    Total Estimated Burden: 278 total hours.
    Frequency of Collection: The data collections described will be 
performed once to obtain the target number of 300 valid test 
participants.
    NHTSA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                         Table 1--Estimated Burden Hours
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          Question set                   N               H               C             Cost            Time
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Screening, Part 1...............            1200          0.0833          $79.00       $7,896.84             100
Screening, Part 2...............            1000          0.1677           79.00       13,248.30             168
Simulator Sickness..............             300          0.0333           48.00          479.52              10
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[[Page 61271]]

 
    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............       21,624.66             278
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    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.95.

Nathaniel Beuse,
Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-25798 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
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