Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

Topics:  Aston Martin Vantage

Claude H. Harris
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
February 8, 2011

[Federal Register: February 8, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 26)]
[Notices]               
[Page 6841-6842]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08fe11-119]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2010-0170; Notice 1]

 
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage Passenger Cars Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars are eligible for 
importation.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars that were not 
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the 
United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles that 
were originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the 
United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as 
complying with the safety standards (the U.S.-certified version of the 
2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars,) and they are 
capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is March 10, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted 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: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and 
be no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to 
the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are 
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are 
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. 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).
    How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets. The docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the 
heading of this document notice. Please note that even after the 
comment closing date, we will continue to file relevant information in 
the Docket as it becomes available. Further, some people may submit 
late comments. Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search 
the Docket for new material.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS shall be 
refused admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that 
the motor vehicle is substantially similar to a

[[Page 6842]]

motor vehicle originally manufactured for importation into and sale in 
the United States, certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and of the same 
model year as the model of the motor vehicle to be compared, and is 
capable of being readily altered to conform to all applicable FMVSS.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR Part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice 
in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is 
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in 
the Federal Register.
    J.K. Technologies, LLC (``JK''), of Baltimore, Maryland (Registered 
Importer 90-006) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming 
2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars are eligible for 
importation into the United States. The vehicles which JK believes are 
substantially similar are 2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger 
cars that were manufactured for sale in the United States and certified 
by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
    The petitioner states that it compared non-U.S. certified 2006 and 
2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars to their U.S.-certified 
counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with 
respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
    JK submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate 
that non-U.S. certified 2006 and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger 
cars, as originally manufactured, conform to many FMVSS in the same 
manner as their U.S. certified counterparts, or are capable of being 
readily altered to conform to those standards.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 2006 
and 2007 Aston Martin Vantage passenger cars are identical to their 
U.S. certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard 
Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and 
Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging 
Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 
109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood Latch System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake 
Fluids, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake 
Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head 
Restraints, 204 Steering Control Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing 
Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating 
Systems, 209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 
212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush 
Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint 
Anchorage Systems, 302 Flammability of Interior Materials, and 401 
Interior Trunk Release.
    The petitioner also contends that the vehicles are capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Replacement of the 
instrument cluster with a conforming U.S.-model component.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Installation of the following conforming U.S.-model 
components on vehicles not already so equipped: (a) Front and rear side 
marker lamps and reflex reflectors; (b) headlamps; (c) tail lamps; and 
(d) a high mounted stop lamp.
    Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: Installation of a tire 
information placard.
    Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: Installation of a conforming 
U.S.-model passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the 
required warning statement on the face of that mirror.
    Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: Installation of a supplemental 
key warning buzzer to ensure that the theft protection system meets the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel 
Systems: Installation of U.S.-model software to ensure that the power-
operated window system meets the requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Installation of: (a) A 
seat belt warning buzzer and associated software; (b) airbag warning 
labels; (c) a replacement front passenger's seat frame base 
incorporating four occupant classification system (OCS) sensors and 
associated electronic control module (The connection for the OCS 
already exists in the vehicle wiring system.); (d) a child restraint 
tether anchorage on the front passenger's seat; (e) revised software in 
the restraint control module (RCM) so that the OCS connection and 
redundant Passenger Airbag Cut Off Switch (PACOS) is recognized; and 
(f) revised software in the central electronic module (CEM) for system 
compatibility and to reconfigure the vehicle settings to ensure that 
the occupant restraint systems meet the requirements of this standard.
    In addition, the petitioner states that the passenger airbag cut 
off switch (PACOS) must be deactivated.
    The petitioner included a parts list in its petition that it 
obtained from the original manufacturer of the vehicle listing the 
components that must be installed in the nonconforming vehicle.
    The petitioner also states that the occupant restraint systems used 
in vehicle includes conforming combination lap and shoulder belts at 
the outboard front seating positions as well as the rear outboard 
seating positions that are self-tensioning and released by means of a 
single red pushbutton.
    Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: Installation of U.S.-model 
software to ensure that the system meets the requirements of this 
standard.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicles near the left windshield post to 
meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the above addresses 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.

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: February 2, 2011.
Claude H. Harris,
Acting Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2011-2660 Filed 2-7-11; 8:45 am]
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