Autokraft Ltd; Receipt of Application for Renewal of Temporary Exemption From Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 Publication: Federal Register Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Byline: Barry Felrice Date: 19 December 1994 Subjects: American Government • Safety Topics: Autokraft • Cobra

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 242 (Monday, December 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31081]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 92-50; Notice 3]

 

Autokraft Ltd; Receipt of Application for Renewal of Temporary 
Exemption From Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208

    Autokraft Limited of Weybridge, Surrey, England, has applied for a 
renewal of NHTSA Exemption No. 92-6, exempting its AC MkIV until 
January 1, 1995, from compliance with paragraph S4.1.4 of Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection. The basis of 
the application is that compliance would cause substantial economic 
hardship to a manufacturer that has tried to comply with the standard 
in good faith.
    Notice of receipt of the application is published in accordance 
with agency regulations on the subject (49 CFR Part 555) and does not 
represent any judgment of the agency on the merits of the application.
    Autokraft was granted NHTSA Exemption No. 92-6 on December 21, 1992 
(57 FR 60563). The reader is referred to that notice for further 
information about the company and its initial compliance efforts. The 
exemption from S4.1.4 of Standard No. 208 will expire on January 1, 
1995. Because the application for renewal of the exemption was filed 
``not later than 60 days before the termination date'' (in this 
instance, October 27, 1994), the termination date is stayed until the 
Administrator has acted upon the application (49 CFR 555.8(e)).
    The applicant seeks a further two-year exemption for its AC Mark IV 
passenger car, of which it has produced 15 in the year preceding the 
filing of its application. Although the company had projected sales of 
150 units in the United States in the years 1992-94, in fact, there 
have been only seven sales. According to its application, Autokraft 
``has continued the process of researching and developing the 
installation of a driver and passenger side airbag system'' but ``we 
have been unable to achieve the fitting of a suitable system mainly due 
to the chassis design being based upon a classic 1960's design and not 
easily adaptable to suit air bag installation.'' The delay is also due 
to ``the project having insufficient funds generated by sales and 
available for completing the development.''
    Autokraft has concluded that the adaptation of an existing 
automatic restraint system is the only viable alternative. Its 
continuation of compliance efforts has given it ``significant knowledge 
into the areas of vehicle modification, computer simulation, design 
rough road testing and low, medium and high speed crash testing.'' 
Complicating its efforts is the need to use a different engine and 
transmission after October 1, 1995, and the possible effect that this 
will have upon compliance. It estimates the cost to achieve conformance 
would be $550,000, achievable by spreading these costs during the 
exemption period. Autokraft reports losses totalling 3,308,243 Pounds 
Sterling (approximately $5,624,000 at a rate of $1.70/1) for the years 
1992-93, and projects a further loss for 1994.
    The company argues that an exemption would be in the public 
interest and consistent with the objectives of motor vehicle safety 
because it meets all applicable EEC standards, and all U.S. Federal 
motor vehicle safety standards with the exception of the automatic 
restraint requirements of Standard No. 208 (its 3-point driver and 
passenger restraints meet the previous requirements). The production of 
the car makes available to the public ``at a realistic price'' a 
replica of the original AC Cobra vehicle produced from the original AC 
Cobra tooling, manufactured during the 1960's predominantly for the 
American market. Autokraft is in the process of finalizing a U.S. 
distribution agreement and will show the car at the North American 
International Auto Show in Detroit in January 1995.
    The applicant believes that it will comply with Standard No. 208 
six months before January 1, 1997, when the 2-year extension of its 
exemption that it has requested would expire.
    Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the 
application described above. Comments should refer to Docket No. 92-50; 
Notice 3, and be submitted to: Docket Section, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, room 5109, 400 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 
20590. It is requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.
    All comments received before the close of business on the comment 
closing date indicated below will be considered, and will be available 
for examination in the docket at the above address both before and 
after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the 
closing date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the 
petition will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the 
authority indicated below.
    Comment closing date: January 18, 1995.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30113; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: December 13, 1994.
Barry Felrice,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 94-31081 Filed 12-16-94; 8:45 am]
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