Motor vehicle safety standards: Occupant crash protection— Seat belt assembly anchorages,

[Federal Register: June 2, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 105)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 29617-29618]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr02jn99-29]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. NHTSA-98-4422]

RIN 2127-AE22

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages

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

ACTION: Withdrawal of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This notice withdraws a proposed rulemaking action to amend Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages. The proposed amendment would require that the lap belt angle for rear adjustable seats be measured in the rearmost adjustment position. However, the agency has determined that the proposed amendment may reduce vehicle safety and affect some front adjustable anchorage locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information: Mr. John Lee, Office of Crashworthiness, NPS-11, Telephone (202) 366-2264. FAX number (202) 493-2739, Mr. Lee's e-mail address is: jlee@nhtsa.dot.gov.

For legal information: Mr. Otto Matheke, Office of Chief Counsel, NHTSA, (202) 366-5263 Fax number (202) 366-3820.

Both may be reached at: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal motor vehicle safety standard (Standard) No. 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages specifies performance requirements for safety belt anchorages to ensure their proper location for effective occupant protection and to reduce the likelihood of the anchorages' failure in a crash. The requirements of the standard apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs). The standard sets zones within the vehicle where the anchorage must be located. The anchorage for a lap belt or the lap portion of a lap/shoulder belt is required to meet a minimum and maximum mounting angle. The standard also sets minimum strength requirements.

On December 4, 1991, NHTSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the lap belt angle measurement procedure for adjustable rear seats of Standard No. 210. The current procedure measures the angle from the seat aligned with the seating reference point. The proposed procedure measured the lap belt angle with the seat in the rearmost adjustable position. The intent of the amendment was to establish a more easily identified seat position for measuring the lap belt angle of the moveable rearward seats. The agency believed the seating reference point may not have been an adequate reference point for these rearward moveable seats.

The agency received five comments to the NPRM. All were opposed to the proposal as written. One commenter, Ford Motor Company (Ford), stated, ``* * * the proposal may reduce vehicle safety, by requiring that anchorages be located in positions that produce a flatter lap belt angle than is ideal when the seat is adjusted to a forward adjustment position. Ford suggest that anchorages for rear adjustable seats be located from the hip point of the template when the seat is in the middle of its adjustment range.'' Ford also stated, ``* * * an 18 month leadtime would be insufficient if anchorages were to be relocated as proposed.''

Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and GM were concerned about the proposed wording of S4.3.1.1(b) in which ``* * * a line 2.5 inches forward of and 0.375 inches above the seating reference point * * *'' is replaced by ``* * * a line from the seating reference point to the contact point of the belt with the anchorage * * *'' would be a substantial rulemaking. The change could affect the dummy kinematics during Standard No. 208 testing as well as the anchorage location at front adjustable seats, not just the rear adjustable seats. Chrysler stated, ``As

[[Page 29618]]

written, the amendment would substantially change the anchorage location requirements for lap belts or the lap portion of the lap/ shoulder belts at front adjustable seats, not just those at rear adjustable seats. Since the agency did not present an argument to support changing the location requirements for anchorages at front center seating positions, we conclude that the modification to the existing language to that end was inadvertent. In any event, we would not support such a change if it were proposed.'' GM stated, ``GM supports the agency's intent to clarify any ambiguity in the standard regarding adjustable rear seat positions, but can not support the actual proposal because of its effect on the front seating position requirements.''

Volkswagen of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) recommends that the proposed amendment be revised to change the words ``rearmost position'' to ``rearmost normal design driving or riding position as designated by the manufacturer.'' The reference to ``rearmost position'' could create difficulties with regard to special seats such as those in the rear seat of passenger cars or MPVs where a storage compartment or battery might be located under the seat and in which case the seat track is provided with special extended travel to permit access to such a compartment. Such a change would also make the wording of Standard No. 210 consistent with the definition of the seating reference point in Sec. 571.3. VW stated that a lead time of 18 months after publication of the final rule is acceptable.

After reviewing the public comments, the agency has decided to withdraw this rulemaking. The intent of the proposed rulemaking was to clarify the lap belt angle measurement test procedure for rear adjustable seats by measuring the lap belt angle in the rearmost position. The agency did not intend to decrease vehicle safety. As pointed out by Ford, the NPRM could cause lower or flatter lap belt angles and could increase the likelihood of occupant submarining. The proposed amendment could also affect the front anchorage locations and the dummy kinematics during Standard No. 208 full barrier testing.

In conclusion, the proposed rulemaking could decrease vehicle safety and affect the front anchorage locations without providing any significant benefit. This was not the intent of this rulemaking and the agency is withdrawing this rulemaking action.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Issued on: May 27, 1999. L. Robert Shelton, Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 99-13957Filed6-1-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P