[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17508-17510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07162]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2015-0023; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Model Year 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Passenger Cars (PC) Are Eligible for 
Importation

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

ACTION: Receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
model year (MY) 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Passenger Cars (PC) that were not 
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation into the 
United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles that 
were originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that 
were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety 
standards (the U.S.-certified version of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro PC) 
and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is May 11, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written data, 
views, and arguments on this petition. Comments must refer to the 
docket and notice number cited in the title of this notice and be 
submitted by any of the following methods:
     Mail: Send comments by mail addressed to U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver comments by hand to U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. The 
Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except 
Federal Holidays.
     Electronically: Submit comments electronically by logging 
onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) Web site at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Comments may also be faxed to (202) 493-2251.

[[Page 17509]]

    Comments must be written in the English language, and be no greater 
than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to the length of 
necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are submitted in 
hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are provided. If you wish 
to receive confirmation that comments you have submitted by mail were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.
    All comments and supporting materials received before the close of 
business on the closing date indicated above will be filed in the 
docket and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials 
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be 
considered to the fullest extent possible.
    When the petition is granted or denied, notice of the decision will 
also be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated at the end of this notice.
    All comments, background documentation, and supporting materials 
submitted to the docket may be viewed by anyone at the address and 
times given above. The documents may also be viewed on the Internet at 
https://www.regulations.gov by following the online instructions for 
accessing the dockets. The docket ID number for this petition is shown 
in the heading of this notice.
    DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement is available for review in a 
Federal Register notice published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477-78).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS shall be 
refused admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that 
the motor vehicle is substantially similar to a motor vehicle 
originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United 
States, certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and of the same model year as 
the model of the motor vehicle to be compared, and is capable of being 
readily altered to conform to all applicable FMVSS.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice 
in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is 
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in 
the Federal Register.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. (WETL), Inc. of 
Houston, Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to 
decide whether nonconforming 2010 Chevrolet Camaro PC's are eligible 
for importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL 
believes are substantially similar are MY 2010 Chevrolet Camaro PC's 
sold in the United States and certified by their manufacturer as 
conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
    The petitioner claims that it compared non-U.S. certified MY 2010 
Chevrolet Camaro PC's to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found 
the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance 
with most FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified MY 2010 Chevrolet Camaro PC's, as 
originally manufactured, conform to many applicable FMVSS in the same 
manner as their U.S.-certified counterparts, or are capable of being 
readily altered to conform to those standards. Specifically, the 
petitioner claims that the non U.S.-certified MY 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 
PC's, as originally manufactured, conform to: Standard Nos. 102 
Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission 
Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 
Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, 
Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment, 111 Rear Visibility, 113 
Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention, 116 
Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and 
Roof Panel System, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126 Electronic 
Stability Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake Systems, 201 
Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202a Head Restraints,203 Impact 
Protection from Steering Control System, 204 Steering Control Rearward 
Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention 
Components, 207 Seating Systems, 209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat 
Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact 
Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 
225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System Integrity, 302 
Flammability of Interior Materials.
    The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S certified 
vehicles are capable of being readily altered to meet the following 
standards, in the manner indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Replacement of the original 
instrument cluster with the U.S. model component and reprogramming the 
associated software as described in the petition.
    Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: installation of the 
required tire information placard.
    Standard No. 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: Installation of 
a tire pressure monitoring system identical to, and with the same part 
number as the system installed in the U.S. Certified vehicle.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: All programs in this 
system are based on the USA SA program codes and all hardware parts 
bear the USA part numbers. In addition, documentation required as part 
of an Owner's manual or supplemental documentation must be provided by 
the Registered Importer.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicle near the left windshield pillar to 
meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.
    Because the subject petition covers nonconforming vehicles that 
have been manufactured on or after September 1, 2006, compliance with 
the advanced air bag requirements of FMVSS No. 208 is of significant 
concern to the agency. NHTSA is therefore particularly interested in 
comments regarding the ability of a Registered Importer to readily 
alter the subject vehicles to fully meet the driver and front outboard 
passenger frontal crash protection and child passenger protection 
requirements of FMVSS No. 208. The following is a partial listing of 
the components that may be affected:

a. Driver's frontal air bag module
b. Passenger frontal air bag module
c. Passenger frontal air bag cover
d. Knee air bags
e. Knee bolsters
f. Passenger outboard frontal seat belt system
g. Driver and front outboard seat assemblies including seat tracks and 
internal seat components

[[Page 17510]]

h. Steering wheel components, including the clock spring assembly, the 
steering column, and all connecting components
i. Instrument panel
j. Instrument panel support structure (i.e. cross beam)
k. Occupant sensing and classification systems, including sensors and 
processors
l. Restraint control modules
m. Passenger air bag status indicator light system, including related 
display components and wiring
n. Wiring harnesses between the restraint control module, occupant 
classification system and restraint system components
o. Control system computer software and firmware.

    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the above addresses both before and after 
that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing 
date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the petition 
will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated below.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49 
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

Jeffrey M. Giuseppe,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2017-07162 Filed 4-10-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P