[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61713-61714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26063]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2018-0008; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Model Year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles 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 
certain model year (MY) 2016 Chevrolet Equinox multipurpose passenger 
vehicles (MPVs) 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 were certified by their manufacturer as 
complying with the safety standards (the U.S.-certified 2016 Chevrolet 
Equinox MPVs) and are capable of being readily altered to conform to 
the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is December 31, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written data, 
views, and arguments on this petition. Comments must refer to the 
docket number cited in the title of this notice and be submitted by any 
of the following methods:
     Mail: Send comments by mail addressed to the 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 the 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 for Federal Holidays.
     Electronically: Submit comments electronically by logging 
onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Comments may also be faxed to (202) 493-2251.
    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, 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: Neil Thurgood, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-0712).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. History: 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 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.
    II. Summary of Petition: Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories 
(WETL), of Houston, Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned 
NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming MY 2016 Chevrolet Equinox MPVs 
are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which 
WETL believes are substantially similar are MY 2016 Chevrolet Equinox 
MPVs 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 2016 
Chevrolet Equinox MPVs to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found 
the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance 
with most FMVSS.
    The petitioner submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that the subject non-U.S.-certified vehicles, 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 
2016 Chevrolet Equinox MPVs, as originally manufactured, conforms to: 
Standard

[[Page 61714]]

Nos. 102 Transmission Shift position Sequence, Starter Interlock, and 
Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging 
Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 
110 Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer 
Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 
4,536 Kilograms (10,000 pounds) or Less, 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 Systems, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126 Electronic 
Stability Control Systems for Light Vehicles, 135 Light Vehicle Brake 
Systems, 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, 202a Head Restraints; 
Mandatory Applicability Begins on September 1, 2009, 203 Impact 
Protection for the Driver from the 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, Applicable 
unless a Vehicle is Certified to Sec.  571.216a, 219 Windshield Zone 
Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 226 Ejection 
Mitigation, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior 
Materials.
    The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S.-certified 
MPVs are capable of being readily altered to meet the following 
standards, in the manner indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: The brake warning telltale 
must be modified to show the word ``BRAKE'' when activated.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Inspection to ascertain if the software and firmware 
installed in the vehicle are the same as the most up-to-date versions 
installed in the U.S.-conforming version of the vehicle. Replacement of 
any software or firmware found not to be the most recent version.
    Standard No. 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact: 
Replacement of sun visors with U.S.-model components to meet the 
labeling requirements of FMVSS No. 208 and to continue to meet the 
requirements of FMVSS No. 201.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Inspection to ascertain 
if the software and firmware installed in the vehicle are the same as 
the most up-to-date versions installed in the U.S.-conforming version 
of the vehicle. Replacement of any software or firmware found not to be 
the most recent version. Replacement of sun visors with U.S.-model 
components to meet the labeling requirements of FMVSS No. 208.
    The petitioner further states that labels will be affixed to 
conform the vehicle to the requirements of 49 CFR parts 565 and 567, 
VIN Content and Certification, respectively.
    III. Comments: All comments and supporting materials received 
before the close of business on the closing date indicated above will 
be filed in the docket and considered. Comments filed after the closing 
date will also be considered to the fullest extent possible and 
available for examination in the docket at the above ADDRESSES.
    Once the petition is granted or denied, notice of the decision will 
be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated at the end of this notice.
    This notice of receipt of the subject petition does not represent 
any agency decision or other exercise of judgment concerning the merits 
of the petition 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.

Michael A. Cole,
Acting Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-26063 Filed 11-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P