Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comments; Consolidated Vehicles' Owner's Manual Requirements for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment |
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Raymond R. Posten
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
12 May 2021
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26128-26133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09984]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0032]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comments; Consolidated Vehicles' Owner's Manual Requirements for Motor
Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a reinstatement with
modification of a previously approved information collection.
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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration invites
public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate a previously-approved
information collection with modification. 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 reinstatements of previously approved collections. This
document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends
to seek OMB approval on Vehicle Owner's Manual Requirements for Motor
Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by July 12, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NHTSA docket number
identified above, through any of the following methods:
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, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal holidays.
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 our 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 James Myers, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, West Building, Room W43-320, NRM-100, Washington, DC 20590.
Mr. Myers' telephone number is 202-366-1810. Please identify the
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control
Number.
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: Consolidated Vehicle Owner's Manual Requirements for Motor
Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment.
OMB Control Number: 2127-0541.
Type of Request: Request for reinstatement with modification of a
previously approved collection of information.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of
approval.
Abstract: The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Act, authorizes
the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation), at 49 U.S.C.
30111, to issue Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that set
performance standards for motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle
equipment. Further, the Secretary (NHTSA by delegation) is authorized,
at 49 U.S.C. 30117, to require manufacturers to provide information to
first purchasers of motor vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment
related to performance and safety in printed materials that are
attached to or accompany the motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle
equipment. NHTSA has exercised this authority to require manufacturers
to provide certain specified safety information to be readily available
to consumers and purchasers of motor vehicles and items of motor
vehicle
[[Page 26129]]
equipment. This information is most often provided in vehicle owners'
manuals and the requirements are found in 49 CFR parts 563, 571, and
575. This information collection request only covers requirements or
requests to provide information that is not provided verbatim in the
regulation or standard. The information requirements or requests are
included in: Part 563, ``Event data recorders;'' FMVSS No. 108,
``Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment;'' FMVSS No. 110,
``Tire selection and rims;'' FMVSS No. 138, ``Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems;'' FMVSS No. 202a, ``Head restraints;'' FMVSS No. 205,
``Glazing materials;'' FMVSS No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection;''
FMVSS No. 210, ``Seat belt assembly anchorages;'' FMVSS No. 213,
``Child restraint systems;'' FMVSS No. 226, ``Ejection mitigation;''
FMVSS No. 303, ``Fuel System Integrity of Compressed Natural Gas
Vehicles;'' section 575.103, ``Truck-camper loading;'' section 575.104,
``Uniform tire quality grading standards;'' and section 575.105,
``Vehicle rollover.''
Part 563--Event data recorders. Section 563.11 requires
manufacturers of vehicles equipped with event data recorders (EDRs) to
provide a prescribed statement (provided verbatim) in the owner's
manual,\1\ which is not an information collection. Section 563.11 also
states that the owner's manual may include additional information about
the form, function, and capabilities of the EDR, in supplement to the
required statement. This voluntary disclosure of information is an
information collection for which NHTSA is seeking approval. There is a
slight burden for respondents to include the voluntary additional
information in their owner's manuals. The vehicle manufacturers which
provide this additional information in the owner's manual incur minimal
burden. We conservatively estimate that half of the 406 vehicle models
for light duty vehicles will have owner's manuals that contain this
supplemental information and that the burden for updating and reviewing
this information will be 1 hour per model line. This would result in
203. annual burden hours (203 vehicle model lines x 1 hour of time x 1
manual per model).
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\1\ 49 CFR 563.11(a).
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It is estimated that the word content in the owner's manual
required by Part 563 would be 100 text words. Hence, the cost burden to
vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $30,566.25 (17,100,939 total
vehicles x 50% of vehicles including added language in the owner's
manuals x 100 text words x 1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing factor
x $0.00013 per word). Cost burdens for this regulation were not
included in the previous information collection request.
FMVSS No. 108, ``Lamps, reflective devices, and associated
equipment.'' This standard requires that certain lamps and reflective
devices with certain performance levels be installed on motor vehicles
to assure that the roadway is properly illuminated, that vehicles can
be readily seen, and the signals can be transmitted to other drivers
sharing the road during day, night, and inclement weather. Because the
specific manner in which headlamp aiming is to be performed is not
regulated (only the performance of the device is), aiming devices
manufactured or installed by different vehicle and headlamp
manufacturers may work in significantly different ways. To assure that
one particular type of aiming system, the Vehicle headlamp aiming
device (VHAD) can be correctly aimed, this standard requires that
instructions for proper use of VHAD systems be part of the vehicle as a
label, or optionally, be placed in the vehicle owner's manual.
It is estimated that manufacturers no longer equip passenger
vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, or motorcycles with VHAD headlamp
systems. If vehicles were equipped with VHAD headlamps, for one model
line with new VHAD headlamps, the time to collect the required
information, prepare technical input, and review for accuracy of the
required information placed for publication in the owner's manual
template is estimated to be 4 hours per manual. In a carry-over vehicle
owner's manual, we estimate that it would take a vehicle manufacturer 1
hour to review the required information for continued accuracy relating
to VHAD systems. Section 571.108 permits each manufacturer a choice in
placing headlamp aiming instruction in the owner's manual or on a label
affixed to the vehicle. We estimate about half of the VHAD aiming
applications would be on labels attached to the VHAD, with the
remainder (50%) using information in the owner's manual to convey the
necessary information. Therefore, the number of annual burden hours
imposed on manufacturers whose vehicles are subject to FMVSS No. 108
would be determined from the number of model lines produced annually
(of which an estimated 25% are new and 75% are non-new, a repeat of
previous years' model lines) multiplied by the portion of vehicles
equipped with VHAD headlamps multiplied by the estimated number of
hours required to assemble the required information (estimated to be 4
hours of review for new vehicles and 1 hour to review the information
for non-new vehicles). The printing cost burden for these owner's
manuals would be the number of vehicles produced annually multiplied by
the portion of vehicles equipped with VHAD headlamps, multiplied by
certain printing factors (an estimated 500 text words required per
owner's manual, a 1.1 multiplier to account for aftermarket manuals, a
0.25 printing factor, and a $0.00013 cost per word). Because
manufacturers no longer equip passenger vehicles, trucks, buses,
trailers, or motorcycles with VHAD headlamp systems, NHTSA estimates
the burden hours as 0 hours, and the printing cost at $0.
FMVSS No. 110, ``Tire selection and rims.'' This standard specifies
requirements for tire selection to prevent tire overloading. The
vehicle's normal load and maximum load on the tire shall not be greater
than applicable specified limits. The standard requires a permanently
affixed vehicle placard specifying vehicle capacity weight, designated
seating capacity, manufacturer-recommended cold tire inflation
pressure, and manufacturer's recommended tire size. The standard
further specifies rim construction requirements, load limits of non-
pneumatic spare tires, and labeling requirements for non-pneumatic
spare tires, including a required placard. Owner's manual information
is required for non-pneumatic spare tires.
Currently, manufacturers do not equip current passenger vehicles,
trucks, buses, trailers, or motorcycles with non-pneumatic spare tires.
If vehicles were equipped with non-pneumatic spare tires, the number of
annual burden hours imposed on manufacturers who choose to equip their
vehicles with this equipment would be determined from the number of
model lines produced annually (of which an estimated 25% are new and
75% are on-new, a repeat of previous years' model lines) multiplied by
the portion of vehicle models equipped with non-pneumatic spare tires
multiplied by the estimated number of hours required to assemble the
required information (estimated to be 4 hours of review for new
vehicles and 1 hour to review the information for non-new vehicles).
The product of these factors would provide the number of hours required
by manufacturers to produce necessary information to place into an
owner's manual ``master'' for printing. The printing cost burden for
these owner's manuals would be the number of vehicles produced annually
multiplied by the portion of vehicles
[[Page 26130]]
equipped with non-pneumatic spare tires, multiplied by certain printing
factors (an estimated 500 text words required per owner's manual, a 1.1
multiplier to account for aftermarket manuals, a 0.25 printing factor,
and a $0.00013 cost per word). Because manufacturers do not equip
current passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, or motorcycles
with non-pneumatic spare tires, NHTSA estimates the hour burden as 0
hours, and the printing cost at $0.
FMVSS No. 138, ``Tire pressure monitoring systems.'' This standard
specifies requirements for a tire pressure monitoring system to warn
the driver of an under-inflated tire condition. Its purpose is to
reduce the likelihood of a vehicle crash resulting from tire failure
due to operation in an under-inflated condition. The standard requires
the owner's manual to include specific information on the low-pressure
warning telltale and the malfunction indicator telltale.
The information required by FMVSS No. 138 to be included in the
owner's manual is provided verbatim and may be taken from the Federal
regulation in its entirety. FMVSS No. 138, also states that the owner's
manual may include additional information about the low-pressure
telltale and the malfunction indicator telltale. NHTSA estimates the
burden to be 1 hour for the respondents to format their owner's manuals
to include the text and additional information. There is an average of
438 model lines each year that include tire pressure monitoring
information in the owner's manual. Therefore, NHTSA estimates the total
annual burden hours for Sec. 571.138 to be 438 hours (438 model lines
x 1 manual per model x 1 hour).
It is estimated that the information required by FMVSS No. 138 in
the owner's manual is equivalent to 400 words of text. This would
result in $244,530 in cost burden to the respondents (17,100,000
vehicles x 400 words of text x 1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing
factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 202a, ``Head restraints.'' This standard specifies
requirements for head restraints. The standard, which seeks to reduce
whiplash injuries in rear collisions, currently requires head
restraints for front outboard designated seating positions in passenger
cars and in light multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses
with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less and specifies
requirements for optionally provided rear outboard seat head restraints
in the same vehicles. The standard requires that vehicle manufacturers
include information in owner's manuals for vehicles manufactured on or
after September 1, 2008. The owner's manual must clearly identify which
seats are equipped with head restraints. If the head restraints are
removable, the owner's manual must provide instructions on how to
remove the head restraint by a deliberate action distinct from any act
necessary for adjustment, and how to reinstall the head restraints. The
owner's manual must warn that all head restraints must be reinstalled
to properly protect vehicle occupants. Finally, the owner's manual must
describe, in an easily understandable format, the adjustment of the
head restraints and/or seat back to achieve appropriate head restraint
position relative to the occupant's head.
It is estimated that 438 model lines need to be reviewed annually,
but only a fraction (25 percent) need major revision each year. It is
further estimated that it would take 5 hours to complete the major
revisions. The remaining fraction of model lines (75 percent) only
require reverification of existing information. The total annual burden
hours are estimated to be 876 hours (438 model lines x 0.25 needing
revision x 5 hours plus 438 model lines x 0.75 needing revision x 1
hour).
The word count required to disclose the required head restraint
information in the owner's manual is estimated to be 1,200 words. The
annual cost burden to the respondents to include the information
required by FMVSS No. 202a in the owner's manual is $733,590
(17,100,000 vehicles x 1,200 words of text x 1.1 production factor x
0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 205, ``Glazing materials.'' This standard specifies
requirement for all glazing material used in windshields, windows, and
interior partitions of motor vehicles. Its purpose is to reduce
injuries resulting from impact to glazing surfaces, to ensure a
necessary degree of transparency in motor vehicle windows for driver
visibility, and to minimize the possibility of occupants being thrown
through the vehicle windows in collisions. More detailed information
regarding the care and maintenance of plastic glazing items, such as a
glass-plastic windshield, is required to be placed in the vehicle
owner's manual.
It is estimated that the burden to provide information in the
owner's manual for detailed care and maintenance is minimal because
manufacturers already provide this type of information in the vehicle
cleaning and maintenance section of the owner's manual. NHTSA estimates
a burden for each manual of 1 hour because manufacturers would need to
verify that detailed care and maintenance information has been included
in their cleaning and maintenance section of the owner's manual. The
annual estimated burden from Sec. 571.205 is 176.0 hours (176 model
lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour).
The word count required in the owner's manual is estimated to be
210 words. Only buses and low speed vehicles currently use plastic type
glazing, so NHTSA estimates there are 17,400 new vehicles each year
that include glazing information in the owner's manual. The annual cost
burden to the respondents to include the information required by FMVSS
No. 205 is $130.15 (17,400 vehicles x 210 words of text x 1.1
production factor x 0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection.'' This standard
specifies requirements for both active and passive occupant crash
protection systems for passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles,
trucks, and small buses. Certain safety features, such as air bags, or
the care and maintenance of air bag systems, are required to be
explained to the owner by means of the owner's manual. For example, the
owner's manual must describe the vehicle's air bag system and provide
precautionary information about the proper positioning of the
occupants, including children. The owner's manual must also warn that
no objects should be placed over or near the air bag covers. There is
also required information about the operation of seat belt assemblies
and other information that could total up to about 20 pages in the
owner's manual. This material would also need to be kept current with
the latest technical information on an annual basis.
A conservative estimated burden to produce the required text and
information is 16 hours (or 2 days). It is also estimated that a
fraction (25 percent) of the model lines would require updates
annually. The remaining fraction of model lines (75 percent) only
require reverification (1-hour burden) of existing information. This
would result in 2,750 annual burden hours (579 vehicle model lines x
0.25 percent that need updating x 16 hours of time plus 579 model lines
x 0.75 needing revision x 1 hour).
It is estimated that the word content in the owner's manual
required by FMVSS No. 208 would be 5,400 text words. Hence, the cost
burden to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $3,397,680
(17,600,000 total vehicles x 5,400 text words x 1.1 production factor x
0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word).
[[Page 26131]]
FMVSS No. 210, ``Seat belt assembly anchorages.'' This standard
specifies requirements for seat belt assembly anchorages to ensure
effective occupant restraint and to reduce the likelihood of failure in
a crash. FMVSS No. 210 requires that manufacturers place the following
information in the vehicle owner's manual: (a) An explanation that
child restraints are designed to be secured by means of the vehicle's
seat belts, and (b) a statement alerting vehicle owners that children
are always safer in the rear seat.
It is estimated that it would take a vehicle manufacturer no more
than 1 hour per vehicle model line to assemble all of the FMVSS No. 210
information for inclusion in the owner's manual. This would result in
438 annual burden hours (438 vehicle model lines x 1 manual per model x
1 hour).
It is estimated that the word content in the owner's manual
required by FMVSS No. 210 would be 400 text words. Hence, the cost
burden to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $244,530 (17,100,000
total vehicles x 400 text words x 1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing
factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 213, ``Child restraint systems.'' This standard specifies
requirements for child restraint systems and requires that
manufacturers provide consumers with detailed information relating to
child safety in air bag-equipped vehicles. The vehicle owner's manual
must include information about the operation and do's and don'ts of
built-in child seats. However, as stated in FMVSS No. 213, the
information must be made available on strategically placed labels
within the vehicles, in addition to the vehicle's owner's manual. Thus,
it is assumed that the burden hours would be minimal since the
information is already available from the information required to
produce the labels. This would result in 579 annual burden hours (579
vehicle model lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour).
It is estimated that the recurring information required for child
safety in the owner's manual would be 500 text words. Hence, the cost
burden to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $314,600 (17,600,000
total vehicles x 500 text words x 1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing
factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 226, ``Ejection mitigation.'' This standard establishes
vehicle requirements intended to reduce the partial and complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes,
particularly rollover crashes. The standard applies to passenger cars,
and to multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross
vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) or less. Written
information must be provided that describes any ejection mitigation
countermeasure that deploys in the event of a rollover and a discussion
of the readiness indicator with a list of the elements of the system
being monitored by the indicator, a discussion of the purpose and
location of the telltale, and instructions to the consumer on the steps
to take if the telltale is illuminated.
It is estimated that it would take a vehicle manufacturer no more
than 8 hours to compile the required material and it is estimated that
a fraction (25 percent) would need major revisions each year. The
remaining fraction of model lines (75 percent) only require
reverification (1-hour burden) of existing information. This would
result in 1,204.5 annual burden hours (438 vehicle model lines x 1
manual per model x 0.25 (percent that need updating) x 8 hours of time
plus 438 model lines x 1 manual per model x 0.75 (percent needing
revision) x 1 hour).
It is estimated that the word content in the owner's manual
required by FMVSS No. 226 would be 3,000 text words. Hence, the cost
burden to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $1,833,975
(17,100,000 total vehicles x 3,000 text words x 1.1 production factor x
0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word).
FMVSS No. 303, ``Fuel System Integrity of Compressed Natural Gas
Vehicles.'' This standard specifies requirements for the integrity of
motor vehicle fuel systems using compressed natural gas (CNG),
including the CNG fuel systems of bi-fuel, dedicated, and dual fuel CNG
vehicles. This regulation requires manufacturers to permanently label
CNG vehicles, near the vehicle refueling connection, with service
pressure information and the statement ``See instructions on fuel
container for inspection and service life.'' Manufacturers of CNG
vehicles shall also provide a first purchaser this information in
either an owner's manual or a one-page document. The service pressure
information required for the owner's manuals under FMVSS No. 303 is
developed by manufacturers as part of their routine engineering
development for their vehicles. Therefore, there is a slight burden of
1 hour for respondents to include this information in their owner's
manuals. This would result in 18 annual burden hours (18 vehicle model
lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour of time).
It is estimated that no more than 50 words are required in the
owner's manual to comply with the requirements in FMVSS No. 303. There
are conservatively 20,000 CNG vehicles produced annually. Hence, the
cost burden to CNG vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $35.75
(20,000 total units x 50 text words x 1.1 production factor x 0.25
printing factor x $0.00013 per word). Cost burdens for this regulation
were not included in the previous information collection request.
Section 575.103, ``Truck-camper loading.'' This regulation requires
manufacturers of slide-in campers to affix to each camper a label that
contains information relating to identification and proper loading of
the camper and to provide more detailed loading information in the
owner's manual. This regulation also requires manufacturers of trucks
that would accommodate slide-in campers to specify the cargo weight
ratings and the longitudinal limits within which the center of gravity
for the cargo weight rating should be located. The information required
for the owner's manuals under section 575.103 is developed by
manufacturers as part of their routine engineering development for
their vehicles. The figures to include in truck and slide-in camper
owner's manuals are provided in the regulation. Therefore, there is a
slight 1-hour burden for respondents to include this information in
their owner's manuals. This would result in 35 annual burden hours (35
vehicle model lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour of time).
It is estimated that 480 words are minimally required in the
owner's manual to comply with Sec. 575.103. There are approximately
2,300,000 pickup trucks and 11,000 truck camper units produced
annually. These total to an annual production of 2,311,000 units.
Hence, the cost burden to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be
$39,656.76 (2,311,000 total units x 480 text words x 1.1 production
factor x 0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word).
[[Page 26132]]
Section 575.104, ``Uniform tire quality grading standards.'' This
regulation requires manufacturers of motor vehicles to inform the
drivers of the type and quality of the tires with which their vehicles
are equipped. A statement, which manufacturers shall include in the
owner's manual, is provided in the regulation in its entirety or
equivalent form. Hence there is a slight 1-hour burden on the
respondents for inclusion of this information into their owner's
manuals. This would result in 579 annual burden hours (579 vehicle
model lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour of time).
It is estimated that 390 words are minimally required in the
owner's manual to comply with Sec. 575.104. There are approximately
13,857,300 vehicles covered by this regulation. Hence, the cost burden
to vehicle manufacturers is estimated to be $193,205.41 (13,857,300
total vehicles x 390 text words x 1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing
factor x $0.00013 per word). Cost burdens for this regulation were not
included in the previous information collection request.
Section 575.105, ``Vehicle rollover.'' This regulation requires
manufacturers of utility vehicles \2\ to alert the drivers of those
vehicles that they have a higher possibility of rollover than other
vehicle types and to advise them of steps that can be taken to reduce
the possibility of rollover and/or to reduce the likelihood of injury
in a rollover. A statement, which manufacturers shall include in the
owner's manual, is provided in the regulation in its entirety or
equivalent form. Hence there is a slight 1-hour burden on the
respondents for inclusion of this information into their owner's
manuals. This would result in 18 annual burden hours (18 vehicle model
lines x 1 manual per model x 1 hour of time).
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\2\ 49 CFR 575.105 states Utility vehicles means multipurpose
passenger vehicles (other than those which are passenger car
derivatives) which have a wheelbase of 110 inches or less and
special features for occasional off-road operation.
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It is estimated that 117 words are minimally required in the
owner's manual to comply with Sec. 575.105. There are approximately
2,700,000 utility vehicles with 4-wheel drive and a wheelbase of 110
inches or less. Therefore, the cost burden to vehicle manufacturers is
estimated to be $11,293.43 (2,700,000 total vehicles x 117 text words x
1.1 production factor x 0.25 printing factor x $0.00013 per word). Cost
burdens for this regulation were not included in the previous
information collection request.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: The Federal program for reducing highway fatalities,
injuries and crashes is likely to be adversely affected if the
information is not collected, since consumers would not be made readily
aware of certain important safety provisions that apply to critical
components of their vehicles and would not have a readily accessible
source of information when circumstances require such information.
Affected Public: Vehicle manufacturers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 52.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 52.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,315.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Cost: $368,969.
The labor costs associated with these burden hours are derived by
using hourly labor rates published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS). For the burden hours associated with compiling the owner's
manual information required under the FMVSSs, NHTSA uses the mean
hourly wage of $35.41 per hour for ``Technical Writers'' (occupational
code 27-3042).\3\ BLS estimates that hourly wages represent
approximately 70.2% of total compensation for private industry
workers.\4\ Therefore, NHTSA estimates the labor cost associated with
less senior Technical Writers to be $50.44 per hour. The total labor
cost associated with the burden hours of this information collection
are determined by multiplying the annual burden hours by $50.44;
therefore, the total annual labor costs are estimated to be $368.968.60
in each of the next three years.
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\3\ May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment
and Wage Estimates, NAICS 336100--Motor Vehicle Manufacturing,
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_336100.htm#27-0000.
\4\ https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf. Accessed
March 20, 2020. Table 1. Employer Costs for Employee Compensation by
ownership [March 2020], https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t01.htm.
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The table below summarizes the total hour burden and associated
labor costs estimates.
Estimated Hour Burden and Associated Labor Costs Summary Table
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Estimated Estimated total
Part/section Brief title total annual annual labor costs
burden hours at $50.44/hour
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563......................................... Event Data Recorders.......... 203 $10,239.32
571.108..................................... Lighting...................... 0 0.00
571.110..................................... Tire Selection and Rims....... 0 0.00
571.138..................................... Tire Pressure Monitoring...... 438 22,092.72
571.202a.................................... Head Restraints............... 876 44,185.44
571.205..................................... Glazing....................... 176 8,877.44
571.208..................................... Crash Protection.............. 2,750 138,710.00
571.210..................................... Seat Belt Anchors............. 438 22,092.72
571.213..................................... Child Restraints.............. 579 29,204.76
571.226..................................... Ejection Mitigation........... 1,205 60,780.20
571.303..................................... CNG Fuel Systems.............. 18 907.92
575.103..................................... Truck-Camper Loading.......... 35 1,765.40
575.104..................................... Tire Quality.................. 579 29,204.76
575.105..................................... Utility Vehicles.............. 18 907.92
-----------------------------------
Totals.................................. .............................. 7,315 368,968.60 or
368,969
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Annual Printing Burden Cost: $7,043,793.
The total annual cost to the respondents for information published
in vehicles' owner's manuals is summarized in the table below.
[[Page 26133]]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated total
Part/section Brief title costs to
respondents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
563............................. Event Data $30,566.25
Recorders.
571.108......................... Lighting.......... 0.00
571.110......................... Tire Selection and 0.00
Rims.
571.138......................... Tire Pressure 244,530.00
Monitoring
Systems.
571.202a........................ Head Restraints... 733,590.00
571.205......................... Glazing........... 130.15
571.208......................... Occupant Crash 3,397,680.00
Protection.
571.210......................... Seat Belt Assembly 244,530.00
Anchors.
571.213......................... Child Restraints 314,600.00
Systems.
571.226......................... Ejection 1,833,975.00
Mitigation.
571.303......................... Fuel System 35.75
Integrity of
Compressed
Natural Gas
Vehicles.
575.103......................... Truck-Camper 39,656.76
Loading.
575.104......................... Uniform Tire 193,205.41
Quality Grading
Standards.
575.105......................... Vehicle Rollover.. 11,293.43
-------------------
Total Costs................. .................. 7,043,792.75 or
7,043,793
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. The agency will
summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's
clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29.
Raymond R. Posten,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2021-09984 Filed 5-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P