Archive
Dec 2013
NHTSA Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for 3 Year Old Side Impact Dummy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would amend Part 572 - Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) to add specifications and qualification requirements for a dummy that represents a 3-year old child. This dummy is referred to as the Q3s side impact test dummy. This action is in anticipation of NHTSA issuing a separate NPRM to revise FMVSS 213 - Child Restraint Systems to include side impact requirements for child restraints.
Nov 2013
ECE Requirements on Driver's Vision Updated
In order to enhance the fields of vision available to the drivers of motor vehicles, two of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) Regulations relating to driver's vision, ECE 46 on indirect vision and ECE 125 on forward field of vision, have recently been amended to include new requirements.
Oct 2013
ECE Regulation on Electric Power Trains Updated
The 02 series of amendments to ECE 100 on electric power trains, which introduce new requirements, and associated test procedures, on the performance of rechargeable energy storage systems (REESS) was published on 12th August 2013.
Sep 2013
NHTSA Issued Final Rule for 49CFR Parts 573, 577 and 579
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Final Rule adopting amendments to certain provisions of the early warning reporting (EWR) rule and the regulations governing motor vehicle and equipment safety recalls.
Aug 2013
Second "Eco-Innovation" Approval Published by the European Commission
On 29th June 2013, the European Commission granted "approval" to a second eco-innovation. This "approval", details of which are given in Commission Implementing Decision No. 2013/341/EU, was issued to Valeo Equipments Electriques Moteur and covers their Efficient Generation Alternator.
Jul 2013
South Africa Proposes Mandatory Compliance with ECE 100.01 for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
On 31st May 2013, the South African Department of Trade and Industry published proposed amendments to the compulsory specifications for both M1 and N1 category vehicles that would require all electric and hybrid electric vehicles to comply with the requirements of UN ECE Regulation No. 100.01.
Jun 2013
Updates to EU Requirements on Special Purpose Vehicles Proposed
At the Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles (TCMV) meeting on 8th May 2013, the European Commission presented their first draft of a Regulation to update the special purpose vehicle requirements contained within Annex XI of 2007/46/EC.
May 2013
NHTSA Requesting Comments on Revisions to New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Request for Comments asking the public for assistance in improving the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) by identifying areas that may provide the greatest potential safety benefits. NHTSA has periodically updated NCAP content in order to maintain effectiveness and relevance. The last revision occurred in 2011 model year.
Apr 2013
New EU Type Approval Framework Regulations for Motorcycles and Agricultural Tractors Published
On 2nd March 2013, two new EU type approval "framework" Regulations were published; EU Regulation No. 167/2013 covering agricultural and forestry tractors and EU Regulation No. 168/2013 covering two or three wheel vehicles and quadricycles.
Mar 2013
NHTSA Moving Ahead with Rulemaking for Quiet Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an NPRM to require minimum sound requirements for hybrid (HV) and electric vehicles (EV), Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 - Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. The intent of this standard is to ensure that blind, visually-impaired, and other pedestrians are able to detect and recognize nearby hybrid and electric vehicles, by requiring that hybrid and electric vehicles emit sound that pedestrians would be able to hear in a range of ambient environments, and contain acoustic signal content that pedestrians will recognize as being emitted from a vehicle.