[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11120-11125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04440]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0058]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Distraction: Personal Electronic Devices
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a new information
collection.
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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about the Agency's intention to
request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a
new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain
information from the public, it must receive approval from 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, including extensions and
reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document
describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek
OMB approval on a new information collection consisting of a single,
one-time experimental research study titled, Distraction: Portable
electronic device interfaces.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 5, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2025-0058 through any of the following methods:
[[Page 11121]]
Electronic Submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Suite W58-
213, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help
you, please call (202) 366-9826 or (202) 366-9317 before coming.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number for this notice. Note that all comments received will be
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading
below.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of the Agency's 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets via internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Jeffrey Dressel Office of Vehicle
Safety Research, Human Factors/Engineering Integration Division NSR-
310, West Building, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; [email protected], 202-493-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed
collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first 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. The 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
ask for public comment on the following: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) how to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) 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 for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
Title: Distraction: Portable electronic devices.
OMB Control Number: New.
Form Number(s): There are multiple forms for this new information
collection including:
NHTSA Form 2059: Part I Advertisement
NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility Questionnaire
NHTSA Form 2061: Part I Scheduling Availability Form
NHTSA Form 2062: Part I Appointment Confirmation Email
NHTSA Form 2063: Part I Informed Consent Document
NHTSA Form 2064: Part I Honorarium Confirmation
NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates
NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement
NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire
NHTSA Form 2068: Part II Informed Consent Document
NHTSA Form 2069: Part II NASA TLX Form
NHTSA Form 2070: Part II Debriefing and Honorarium
Confirmation
Type of Request: New information collection.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of
approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information: The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new information
collection consisting of a single, one-time experimental research study
that involves voluntary participation from members of the public.
Participants must have experience using either Android Auto or Apple
CarPlay with in-vehicle infotainment systems. The collection consists
of experimental data reporting and survey responses. Data collected
will include eye tracking measurements, vehicle performance metrics,
task completion times, error rates, participant demographics, and
responses to questionnaires about interface usage and acceptance. The
purpose of this research is to evaluate how safely drivers can interact
with smartphone integration systems that allow access to smartphone
applications through the vehicle's built-in display screen.
The research consists of two parts. Part I consists of an
evaluation method called an ``occlusion study'' at Westat facilities in
the Washington DC area. In this part, 24 participants per system
(across up to 3 vehicles, for a total of up to 56 participants) will
perform 6-9 standardized tasks while wearing special electronic
goggles. These goggles automatically switch between clear and blocked
views every 1.5 seconds, simulating how drivers normally shift their
gaze between looking at the road and looking at the vehicle's displays.
Before testing, participants will receive thorough training on each
task. They will then perform each task five times while wearing the
goggles per the testing procedures outlined in the NTHSA visual-manual
distraction guidelines. Researchers will measure how long participants
need to see the display to complete each task (called ``Total Shutter
Open Time'' or TSOT), document any mistakes made during the tasks,
record how participants recover from these mistakes, and gather
feedback about whether the tasks are reasonable to perform while
driving. Participants will be provided a $120 honorarium upon
completion of Part I.
Part II consists of a closed-course track (CCT) evaluation
conducted at Utah Motorsports Campus near Salt Lake City with 72
participants. Due to the cost of missing a study session, participants
will be overbooked for each study session, meaning that two
participants will be invited to the same study session but only one
participant will complete the study. Both will be compensated the same
rate ($120). The reason for using the overbooking strategy is because
the cost of recruiting more participants is much less expensive than
the cost of missing one session on the closed course track. This part
will examine a subset of the tasks from Part I in actual driving
conditions on a 0.84-mile stretch on a closed course tack (CCT).
Participants will drive specially equipped vehicles while performing
the interface tasks.
[[Page 11122]]
Researchers will collect several types of data: where drivers look
while driving (using eye tracking equipment), how well they control the
vehicle (measuring lane position, speed, and steering movements), how
quickly they respond to simple tasks while driving (using a
standardized ``Detection Response Task'' where drivers press a button
in response to a signal), how quickly they react to important events,
how long it takes to complete tasks, and how many mistakes they make.
Each participant will complete multiple drives to test different
aspects of the interfaces.
For both parts, participants will complete questionnaires about
their background, driving experience, and familiarity with these
interfaces. The collected data will be analyzed to evaluate whether
these interfaces meet NHTSA's guidelines for minimizing driver
distraction and to assess their effects on driving safety. The findings
will help inform future safety guidelines and policy decisions
regarding in-vehicle portable device interfaces.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: This new information request is for a multipart study to
understand how modern smartphone mirroring systems affect driver
distraction when compared with legacy OEM systems, as well as which
commonly completed tasks are compliant with NHTSA distraction
guidelines. The following components will be used to obtain the
necessary information to achieve this purpose. The time to complete
forms and tasks is based on the average reading rate of 238 words per
minute, with potential buffer time for questions based on recent
researcher experience as well as internal pilot testing.
(1) NHTSA Form 2059: Part I Advertisement--This form is necessary
to recruit potential participants. This document's content will be
published on Westat's intranet and social media channels, as well as
distributed via email to a database of former participants expressing
interest in future research. Participants who are interested in
participating will be redirected to NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility
Questionnaire to determine if they are eligible. We estimate that of
the people who see the advertisement, about 168 people will read it and
be sufficiently interested in the study to seek out the eligibility
screener. For reading the recruitment text we estimate an average
completion time of 1 minute. This results in: 168 participants x 1
minute = 168 minutes = 2.8 hours.
(2) NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility Questionnaire--Recruitment
for the occlusion study is necessary to ensure the validity and
generalizability of the findings. This process will involve online
screening and diverse outreach efforts, such as social media
advertisements and intranet postings, to assemble a representative
participant pool. Eligibility criteria will include (1) participant age
of at least 18 years old, (2) familiarity with Android Auto or Apple
CarPlay, (3) does not regularly drive one of the study vehicles, (4)
possesses a valid driver's license, (5) drives at least 3000 miles
annually, (6) has normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (7) has normal
or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8) English fluency, and (9) is in
general good health. Recruiting participants for the study will involve
approximately 168 individuals, each of whom will spend approximately 5
minutes completing an online eligibility questionnaire. This results
in: 168 individuals x 5 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.
(3) NHTSA Form 2061: Part I Scheduling Availability Form--This form
is essential to capture participant's name, contact information and to
ensure that participants provide their preferred time slot. Once an
individual is deemed eligible, they will be taken to this form
automatically. One hundred individuals are expected to be eligible and
complete the scheduling availability form. This results in: 100
participants x 2 minutes = 200 minutes = 3.3 hours.
(4) Part I Scheduling Process--Scheduling is essential in
recruitment for Part I to ensure participant readiness and efficient
study operations. The scheduling process includes a scheduling call,
confirmation email, and reminder email. The entire process (as seen in
Table 2) is completed in 7 minutes.
a. Part I Scheduling Call Process--The next step in the enrollment
process involves calling eligible individuals to schedule their
appointment. The call also provides the opportunity to provide
additional study information like the location, study details, and
answer any questions individuals may have. We estimate the call will
last 5 minutes. To account for attrition, we plan to enroll 3 extra
participants than our desired number. This results in 59 participants x
5 minutes = 295 minutes = 4.9 hours.
b. NHTSA Form 2062: Part I Appointment Confirmation Email--
Following the call, participants will be sent an appointment
confirmation email, with pertinent study information included (i.e.,
session date, time, and location and how to reschedule or cancel). As
an additional step, participants will be sent an a reminder email 24
hours before scheduled sessions is a critical step in ensuring smooth
coordination and minimizing participant no-shows for Part I.
Participants are estimated to spend approximately 1 minute reading and
responding to this email, which will include essential information such
as the session time, location, materials to bring, and instructions to
confirm their attendance. Additionally, the email provides an
opportunity for participants to ask any last-minute questions or inform
the research team of scheduling conflicts. This step is designed to
reinforce participant preparedness, reduce logistical issues, and
enhance overall study efficiency. This results in: 59 participants x 1
minutes = 59 minutes = 0.98 hours.
c. Part I Appointment Reminder Email--As an additional step,
participants will be sent a reminder email 24 hours before scheduled
sessions is a critical step in ensuring smooth coordination and
minimizing participant no-shows for Part I. Participants are estimated
to spend approximately 1 minute reading and responding to this email,
which will include essential information such as the session time,
location, materials to bring, and instructions to confirm their
attendance. Additionally, the email provides an opportunity for
participants to ask any last-minute questions or inform the research
team of scheduling conflicts. This results in: 59 participants x 1
minutes = 59 minutes = 0.98 hours.
(4) NHTSA Form 2063: Part I Informed Consent Document--Obtaining
informed consent upon arrival is an essential step to ensure compliance
with ethical research standards and participant understanding for Part
I. During this process, participants will review and sign consent
forms, confirming their comprehension of the study's purpose,
procedures, potential risks, and their rights as participants. This
process also provides an opportunity for participants to ask questions
or request clarification before the study begins, ensuring
transparency, voluntary participation, and alignment with institutional
and regulatory ethical guidelines. We anticipate that 3 of the people
we schedule will not show up to complete the study. This results in: 56
participants x 5 minutes = 280 minutes = 4.7 hours.
(5) Part I Data Collection Activities--This process is required
because it contains the information necessary to answer NHTSA's
research questions. It is comprised of five subcomponents:
familiarization process, pertaining task error evaluation, occlusion
training task assessment process, and honorarium
[[Page 11123]]
and debriefing process. Each subcomponent is discussed in greater
detail below. The subcomponents of burden can be seen below. The entire
procedures (as seen in Table 2) are completed in 115 minutes.
a. Part I Familiarization Process--The familiarization process
following the consent procedure is a critical step to ensure
participant readiness and comfort for Part I. Participants will be
provided with an overview of the study procedures, including the tasks
they will perform and the purpose of using occlusion goggles to
simulate real-world driving behavior. They will familiarize themselves
with the vehicles by adjusting their seating positions, understanding
the layout of the interfaces (OEM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto),
and practicing basic controls. This step ensures that participants are
oriented to the study environment, reducing potential variability in
performance, and improving the reliability and consistency of collected
data. Participants will then complete a practice task with the
occlusion goggles powered on. This is to limit their learning effects
during the experiment. The familiarization process is expected to take
approximately 15 minutes per participant. This results in: 56
participants x 15 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.
b. Part I Pretraining Task Error Evaluation Process--Pretraining
task error evaluations are a critical step in Part I, providing
baseline data on participant performance and error recovery strategies
before formal training. Participants will attempt each task once using
their most familiar interface platform, allowing researchers to
document initial error rates, types of errors, and recovery approaches.
This process ensures that common errors and participant strategies can
be identified, which informs subsequent task design and training
adjustments to improve study validity and reliability. This step is
expected to take a maximum of 15 minutes per participant, with an
average of 3 minutes per trial and a maximum of 5 trials. This results
in: 56 participants x 15 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.
c. Part I Occlusion Training Process--Occlusion training is a
necessary component of Part I to ensure participants are proficient in
using the occlusion goggles and navigating the interfaces. Participants
will be introduced to the goggles and their operation, including how
they alternate between open and closed states to simulate glances
between the road and the device. Training includes task demonstrations
by the experimenter, hands-on practice with the tasks, and repeated
trials to achieve proficiency. This ensures participants are
comfortable with the equipment and task procedures, reducing
variability in performance and enabling accurate data collection. Each
participant is expected to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this
training. The average time to complete a training session is 2.22
minutes with maximum of 9 training sessions. This results in: 56
participants x 20 minutes = 1,120 minutes = 18.6 hours.
d. Part I Task Assessment Process--Task execution is a core
component of Part I, designed to evaluate participant performance
across different interface platforms. Participants will complete six-
to-nine predefined tasks on two platforms (Android Auto or Apple
CarPlay and one of three OEM systems) in one of three vehicles or
complete six-to-nine tasks across all three OEM systems, ensuring
comprehensive coverage of interface interactions. Each task will be
performed five times to ensure data stability and allow researchers to
analyze performance consistency and learning effects. This structured
approach ensures robust and reliable data collection to assess task
performance metrics and compliance with NHTSA guidelines. Each
participant is expected to spend a maximum of 60 minutes completing
task assessments, with an average task assessment taking 6.67 minutes
and a maximum of 9 task assessments. This results in: 56 participants x
60 minutes = 3,360 minutes = 56 hours.
e. NHTSA Form 2064: Part I Honorarium Confirmation--Debriefing is
an essential component of Part I which is designed to gather
participant insights and refine study outcomes. Following task
completion, participants will engage in a structured debriefing session
where they will provide feedback on task difficulty, interface
usability, and their overall study experience. This process allows
researchers to identify potential issues, capture subjective
perspectives, and gain insights into interface design features,
ensuring comprehensive evaluation and improving the quality of study
findings. Participants will complete this step to ensure that they are
compensated for their time. Each debriefing session is expected to take
approximately 5 minutes per participant. This results in: 56
participants x 5 minutes = 280 minutes = 4.7 hours.
(6) NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement--This step is necessary
to recruit participants from Red Scientific's participant database (via
email see NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates) and social media
(via NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement) as needed. Participants
will be directed to NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire
to determine if they are eligible to participate. We estimate 288
individuals will read the advertisement and express sufficient interest
to seek the eligibility screener. We anticipate it will take 1 minute
to read the advertisement text about the study. This results in 288
participants x 1 minute = 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.
(7) NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire--
Administering the online eligibility questionnaire is a critical step
in the recruitment for Part II to efficiently identify qualified
participants. Recruitment efforts will include advertisements posted in
local newspapers, on community boards, through social media, and within
an existing participant database. These advertisements will direct
interested individuals to an online questionnaire, highlighting the
eligibility criteria: (1) participant age of at least 21 years old, (2)
familiarity with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, (3) do not regularly
drive one of the study vehicles, (4) possess a valid driver's license,
(5) drive at least 3,000 miles annually, (6) have normal or corrected-
to-normal vision, (7) have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8)
English fluency, (9) are in general good health, (10) ability to
abstain from alcohol and recreational substance use (e.g., marijuana)
for 12 hours before the session, (11) do not take sedative or
psychotropic medication, (12) no more than 2 at-fault accidents in the
last 2 years, (13) do not wear corrective lenses while driving
(contacts are allowed), (14) do not require specialized driving
equipment, (15) no medical conditions that might impact driving (i.e.,
heart condition, back or neck pain, recent back or neck pain treatment,
disorders, disability or seizures), and (16) no false eyelashes or
mascara. The questionnaire is designed to filter out ineligible
candidates by providing immediate feedback on their status.
Approximately 50% of those who begin the questionnaire are expected to
meet the eligibility criteria. To identify 144 participants,
approximately 288 individuals will begin the questionnaire. Each
individual will spend an average of 10 minutes completing the form: 288
individuals x 10 minutes = 2,880 minutes = 48 hours.
(8) Part II Scheduling Process--Scheduling is essential in
recruitment for Part II to ensure participant
[[Page 11124]]
readiness and efficient study operations. The scheduling process
includes a scheduling call, confirmation email, and reminder email. The
entire process (as seen in Table 3) is completed in 9 minutes.
a. Part II Scheduling Call--Once 144 eligible participants are
identified through the eligibility questionnaire, they will proceed to
the scheduling phase, where the research team will call eligible
individuals to schedule their session. The call provides the
opportunity to provide additional study information like the location,
study details, and answer any questions individuals may have. We
estimate the call will last 5 minutes. To ensure that all available
sessions are double booked, two individuals will be scheduled for each
session. This results in 144 participants x 5 minutes = 720 minutes =
12 hours.
b. Part II Confirmation Email--After each individual is scheduled,
they will receive an email confirming their study session (from NHTSA
Form 2065: Part II Email Templates). During this phase, each
participant will spend an average of 2 minutes reading and responding
to this email. The email will include information including the session
time, location, materials to bring, and instructions to confirm their
attendance. Participants are encouraged to ask any additional questions
they may have. This confirmation ensures a well-coordinated schedule
and minimizes the risk of no-shows or miscommunication, supporting the
successful execution of the study. This results in: 144 participants x
2 minutes = 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.
c. Part II Reminder Email--Sending a reminder email 24 hours before
scheduled sessions (from NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates) is a
critical step in Part II to ensure smooth coordination and participant
preparedness. The email will provide detailed information about session
logistics, including directions to the testing location, session time,
and any specific instructions or requirements, such as materials to
bring or preparatory steps. This reminder also offers participants the
opportunity to confirm their attendance or notify the research team of
any last-minute conflicts, reducing the likelihood of no-shows and
ensuring the study proceeds as planned. Participants are expected to
spend approximately 2 minutes reading and responding to these emails to
confirm their attendance. This results in: 144 participants x 2 minutes
= 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.
(9) Part II Initial Setup & Intake Process--This procedure is
necessary because it prepares participants for their study session. The
initial setup and intake process includes informed consent, study setup
and route familiarization. The entire process (as seen in Table 3) is
completed in 50 minutes. Note, this process includes the double booked
participants, so there is attrition at the end of this process
(reduction of 72 participants) for the rest of the data collection
activities from Part II Task Assessment Process onward.
a. NHTSA Form 2068: Part II Informed Consent Document will be
completed in this step to ensure participants are informed of their
rights, as well as the study details and what information will be
collected from them and obtain their written consent. The informed
consent document will be printed on paper for participants to
physically sign at the beginning of their session. Further,
participants will be introduced to the vehicle, vehicle controls,
interfaces and safety information they will be using as well as the eye
tracker and tactile detection response system. We anticipate 72
participants will complete this procedure and it will average 20
minutes to complete. This process is expected to take approximately 20
minutes per participant. This results in: 144 participants x 20 minutes
= 2,880 minutes = 48 hours.
b. Part II Study Setup--The study setup is a critical preparatory
phase in Part II to ensure participants are ready and equipped for
testing. Following the consent process, participants will receive a
comprehensive introduction to the study procedures, including a
detailed safety briefing that covers equipment use, driving protocols,
and emergency procedures. Participants will then be seated in the test
vehicle, where they will be fitted with eye-tracking equipment to
monitor visual behavior, as well as tactile motors and response
switches for the Detection Response Task (TDRT). This step ensures
participants are fully prepared to proceed safely and effectively with
the study tasks. The study setup is expected to take approximately 15
minutes per participant. This results in: 144 participants x 15 minutes
= 2,160 minutes = 36 hours.
c. Part II Route Familiarization--The route familiarization drive
is a critical preparatory step in Part II to ensure participants are
comfortable with the vehicle and test route. Participants will complete
a guided familiarization drive along the 0.84-mile test route to learn
the vehicle's handling characteristics and route-specific safety
considerations. This process ensures that participants are confident in
operating the vehicle and are adequately prepared for the task
evaluations, promoting both safety and reliable data collection. This
results in: 144 participants x 15 minutes = 2,160 minutes = 36 hours.
d. Part II Double Booked Participants--Each session will be double
booked to ensure there is a participant for each session given the
limited track time. After completion of the setup and intake process,
half of the participants will be thanked for their time and compensated
$120 since only 72 participants are needed for the study.
(10) Part II Task Assessment Process--This set of procedures is
essential because this is where the study data will be collected. The
task assessment process consists of the task assessments, NASA TLX, and
buffer time. The entire process (as seen in Table 3) is completed in
160 minutes.
a. Part II Task Assessments--Task execution within the interface
blocks is a central component of Part II designed to evaluate
participant performance across three distinct interfaces: OEM, Apple
CarPlay, and Android Auto. Each interface evaluation begins with a 10-
minute orientation, during which participants are introduced to the
interface layout and controls. This is followed by four task segments,
with each segment lasting 9 minutes and involving task performance
under real-world driving conditions. This structured approach ensures
consistent evaluation across interfaces, enabling a comprehensive
comparison of usability, cognitive workload, and safety-relevant
metrics. Each interface requires a total of 10 minutes for orientation
and 36 minutes (4 x 9 minutes) for task performance, for a total of 46
minutes per interface. Across all three interfaces, participants will
spend 138 minutes (46 x 3 interfaces), or 2.3 hours per participant.
This results in: 72 participants x 2.3 hours = 165.6 hours.
b. NHTSA Form 2069: Part II NASA TLX Form--The NASA TLX (Task Load
Index) form is a necessary component of Part II to assess the cognitive
workload associated with each interface. The NASA TLX is a widely used
self-reported tool designed to measure perceived workload across
dimensions such as mental demand, physical demand, and effort.
Participants will complete the form after each of the four task
segments for the OEM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto interfaces, with
each form requiring approximately 1 minute to complete. This totals 4
minutes of form completion time per interface. The data collected
through the NASA TLX is essential for evaluating usability and workload
demands, providing critical insights into driver-
[[Page 11125]]
interface interactions and their impact on performance and safety. For
all three interfaces, participants will spend 12 minutes (4 minutes x 3
interfaces) completing the NASA TLX forms. This results in: 72
participants x 12 minutes = 864 minutes = 14.4 hours
c. Part II Buffer Time--For each participant an additional 10-
minute time buffer is necessary to account for unforeseen delays,
equipment adjustments, or additional breaks. This buffer ensures that
transitions between activities are smooth and that participants have
sufficient time to complete all tasks. This results in: 72 participants
x 10 minutes = 720 minutes = 12 hours.
(11) NHTSA Form 2070: Part II Debriefing and Honorarium
Confirmation--The debriefing process is a necessary final step in Part
II to ensure participants are allowed to ask any final questions and
receive their honorarium. Participants will complete NHTSA Form 2070:
Part II Debriefing and Honorarium Confirmation during this step to read
the debriefing materials and ensure that they are compensated for their
time. Additionally, a researcher will briefly review the collected data
to ensure proper acquisition and verify data integrity and adherence to
the established collection protocols. The debrief is expected to take
approximately 5 minutes per participant. This results in: 72
participants x 5 minutes = 360 minutes = 6 hours.
Affected Public: Individuals either in the Washington, DC
metropolitan area or the Salt Lake City, Utah area who have volunteered
to take part in driving studies or who have opted in to receive
research-related emails from Red Scientific or Westat's participant
database will be contacted for participation. Recruitment efforts will
be supplemented by advertisements placed on company intranet sites and
via social media posts and advertisements. Respondents must meet
specific eligibility criteria to be included in this information
collection. For both studies, respondents must (1) be at least 18 years
old for Part I or 21 years old for Part II, (2) have familiarity with
Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, (3) not regularly drive one of the study
vehicles, (4) possess a valid driver's license, (5) drive at least 3000
miles annually, (6) have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (7) have
normal or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8) be fluent in English, and
(9) be in generally good health. Additionally for Part II, respondents
must (10) abstain from alcohol and recreational substance use (e.g.,
marijuana) for 12 hours before the session, (11) not take sedative or
psychotropic medication, (12) have no more than 2 at-fault accidents in
the last 2 years, (13) not wear corrective lenses while driving
(contacts are allowed), (14) not require specialized driving equipment,
(15) have no medical conditions that might impact driving (i.e., heart
condition, back or neck pain, recent back or neck pain treatment,
disorders, disability or seizures), and (16) refrain from wearing false
eyelashes and mascara during scheduled session. Businesses are
ineligible for the sample and will not be contacted.
Estimated Number of Respondents: For Part I we estimate a maximum
of 168 respondents, with 59 eligible participants targeted for
recruitment and 5% attrition, resulting a final sample of 56
respondents. For Part II, we estimate a maximum number of respondents
to be 288 participants with 144 eligible participants targeted for
recruitment. For Part II, we plan to overbook participant sessions to
ensure maximum use of test track time, no attrition is planned,
resulting in a final sample size of 72.
Frequency: One-time collection.
Estimated Number of Responses: This is a one-time data collection
with 56 complete responses estimated for Part I, and 72 complete
responses estimated for Part II (i.e., one response per respondent).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The total estimated burden is
139 hours for Part I and 392.4 hours for Part II. All data collection
is estimated to occur within the same year, so the annualized hours
equal the total hours. The total study burden hours is estimated at
531.4 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: Participation in this study is
voluntary, and there are no costs to respondents beyond the time spent
completing the questionnaires and travel costs for the visits to the
study facility. The costs are minimal and are expected to be offset by
the compensation that will be provided to the research participants.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.
Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2026-04440 Filed 3-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P