Summary of the FMVSS 208 Final Rule Requiring Manufacturers to also Test Belted 5th Percentile Adult Female Dummies in 35 mph Rigid Barrier Impacts.
NHTSA is amending its safety standard on occupant crash protection to establish the same 35 mph maximum speed for frontal barrier crash tests using belted 5th percentile adult female test dummies, similar to the tests required for belted 50th percentile adult male dummies. NHTSA says that they are adopting this amendment to help improve crash protection for small statured occupants. The new requirement is phased-in in a manner similar to the phase-in for the 35 mph maximum speed test requirement using the 50th percentile adult male dummy, but beginning 2 years later, i.e., September 1, 2009.
Background
On May 12, 2000, NHTSA published a final rule to require that future air bags be designed to create less risk of serious air bag-induced injuries than the current air bags and provide improved frontal crash protection for all occupants, by means that include advanced air bag technology (advanced air bag rule).
This advanced air bag rule established two phase-in schedules:
- The first phase-in began in September 1, 2003. NHTSA required vehicle manufacturers to install advanced air bag systems that reduce the risk of air bag-induced injury, particularly to young children and small adult drivers, while improving the frontal crash protection provided by air bag systems to occupants of different sizes. One of the tests required the use of an un-belted 50th percentile adult male and unbelted 5th percentile adult female dummies in 20 to 25 mph rigid barrier impacts.
- The second phase-in of the advanced air bag rule will begin on September 1, 2007, NHTSA will require manufacturers to further improve the frontal protection provided by their vehicles by meeting a belted 50th percentile rigid barrier impact at test speeds up to 35 mph.
Prior to the advanced air bag rule, the crash tests specified in FMVSS No. 208 used only one size dummy, a 50th percentile adult male dummy. NHTSA also used that dummy in frontal crash tests conducted under the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), although at a higher speed of 35 mph. The FMVSS No. 208 belted rigid barrier test required test speeds up to 30 mph, while the NCAP tests were conducted at a test speed of 35 mph.
Summary of the test requirements in this new FMVSS 208 Final Rule
NHTSA is also adopting phase-in reporting requirements similar to those used in other phase-ins. A summary of the implementation schedule for this newly required belted 5th percentile adult female dummy in rigid barrier impacts at test speeds up to 35 mph are as follows:
- 35 percent of each manufacturer's light vehicles manufactured during the production year beginning on September 1, 2009.
- 65 percent of each manufacturer's light vehicles manufactured during the production year beginning on September 1, 2010, with an allowance of carryover credits from vehicles built after September 1, 2009.
- 100 percent of each manufacturer's light vehicles manufactured during the production year beginning on September 1, 2011, with an allowance of carryover credits from vehicles built after September 1, 2009.
- All light vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2012.
Exceptions
- Manufacturers that sell two or fewer carlines in the United States at the beginning of the first year of the phase-in (September 1, 2009) will have the option of omitting the first year of the phase-in, if they fully comply beginning on September 1, 2010.
- Manufacturers that produce or assemble fewer than 5,000 vehicles for the U.S. market per year may defer compliance with the new requirement until September 1, 2012.
- Consistent with NHTSA's usual policy concerning multi-stage vehicles, multi-stage manufacturers and alterers may defer compliance with the new requirement until September 1, 2013.