[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27200-27201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09831]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0002]


New Car Assessment Program; Request for Comments; Extension of 
Comment Period

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

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA received two petitions to extend the comment period for 
a Request for comments (RFC) notice on significant updates to the New 
Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Pursuant to fulfilling the FAST Act 
directive and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NHTSA published an RFC 
notice announcing its current and future plans for updating NCAP on 
March 9, 2022. The comment period for the RFC notice was scheduled to 
end on May 9, 2022. NHTSA is extending the comment period for the March 
9, 2022 RFC notice by 30 days.

DATES: The comment period for the RFC notice published on March 9, 2022 
is extended to June 8, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments to the docket number identified in 
the heading of this document by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Rm. W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,

[[Page 27201]]

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call 
(202) 366-9332 before coming.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Regardless of how you submit your comments, please mention the 
docket number identified in the heading of this document.
    Note that all comments received will be posted without change to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its decision-making process. 
DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal 
information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can 
be reviewed at www.transportation.gov/privacy. In order to facilitate 
comment tracking and response, the Agency encourages commenters to 
provide their name, or the name of their organization; however, 
submission of names is completely optional. Whether or not commenters 
identify themselves, all timely comments will be fully considered.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to www.regulations.gov, or the street address 
listed above. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call 
(202) 366-9332 before coming. Follow the online instructions for 
accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues, you may contact 
Ms. Jennifer N. Dang, Division Chief, New Car Assessment Program, 
Office of Crashworthiness Standards (telephone: 202-366-1810). For 
legal issues, you may call Mr. Daniel Koblenz, Office of Chief Counsel 
(telephone: 202-366-2992). Address: National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 9, 2022, pursuant to fulfilling the 
FAST Act directive and section 24213 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
Law, NHTSA published an RFC notice announcing its current and future 
plans for updating NCAP (87 FR 13452). The RFC notice included 
significant upgrades to NCAP, including (1) proposing to add four new 
advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technologies, (2) proposing to 
strengthen the current test procedures for certain existing ADAS 
technologies, (3) proposing a near- and long-term roadmap for future 
NCAP updates, (4) discussing various approaches on the development of a 
new rating system for ADAS technologies, (5) discussing the rulemaking 
process to update the NCAP safety information on the Monroney label 
that includes a comprehensive consumer research, and (6) seeking 
comment on emerging technologies to help people make safe driving 
choices. The comment period for the RFC notice is scheduled to end on 
May 9, 2022.

Comment Period Extension Requests

    The Alliance for Automotive Innovation and the Motor & Equipment 
Manufacturers Association submitted a joint letter on March 25, 2022, 
requesting a 30-day extension of the comment period. The requestors 
state that the RFC notice addresses several complex topics that would 
require conducting in-depth review and analysis to develop informed 
feedback. They suggest the additional time would allow them to conduct 
the detailed review of the notice and develop responses to the more 
than 100 questions and issues included in the notice. The requestors 
state that the additional time would allow for more fully developed 
feedback to support the agency's next steps.
    In a joint letter submitted to the Agency on April 15, 2022, 
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Center for Auto Safety, Public 
Citizen, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, Kids & 
Cars Safety, Vision Zero Network, Insurance Institute for Highway 
Safety, Society for the Advancement of Violence and Industry Research, 
and Families for Safe Streets, request a 60-day extension of the 
comment period. The requestors state that the RFC notice raises 
numerous complex technical and policy issues that requires significant 
analysis. They note that extending the comment period is in the public 
interest as it would permit the public with sufficient time to provide 
specific and thorough feedback on the many substantial questions raised 
in the notice, and provide the requesters with time to consult with a 
variety of experts and stakeholders.

Agency Decision

    Pursuant to 49 CFR 553.19 and after thorough consideration of the 
requests with various extension periods, NHTSA determined that the 
requestors have provided sufficient justification for an extension, and 
that the extension is consistent with the public interest (49 CFR 
553.19). NHTSA agrees that allowing additional time for the public and 
its stakeholders to provide comments to the many questions raised in 
the RFC notice would better inform NHTSA on its final decision on the 
various program areas and topics discussed in the RFC notice. 
Therefore, NHTSA is granting the aforementioned requests to extend the 
comment period; however, NHTSA is extending it only for 30 days. 
Section 24213 of the November 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 
enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, requires NHTSA 
to publish its final decision on the NCAP upgrade by November 15, 2022. 
A 30-day extension appropriately balances NHTSA's interest in providing 
the public with sufficient time to comment on the numerous questions 
raised in the RFC notice, with its interest to issue a final decision 
on the NCAP upgrade in a timely manner.
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 49 CFR 501.8.

    Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 
1.95 and 501.8.
Raymond R. Posten,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2022-09831 Filed 5-5-22; 8:45 am]
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