Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; FMVSS No. 213, “Child Restraint Systems,” FMVSS No. 213a, “Child Restraint Systems-Side Impact Protection,” and FMVSS No. 213b, “Child Restraint Systems”-Response to Petitions for Reconsideration

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>49 CFR Part 571</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0058]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2127-AM64</RIN> <SUBJECT>Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; FMVSS No. 213, “Child Restraint Systems,” FMVSS No. 213a, “Child Restraint Systems—Side Impact Protection,” and FMVSS No. 213b, “Child Restraint Systems”—Response to Petitions for Reconsideration</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule; response to petitions for reconsideration. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This final rule responds to petitions for reconsideration of the June 2022 final rule establishing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213a and the December 2023 final rule establishing FMVSS No. 213b. This final rule grants petitions to incorporate a dummy positioning procedure for shield-type child restraint systems (CRSs), clarify test procedure for CRSs with certain types of side impact technologies, remove testing CRSs installed with lap belt only in frontal sled tests, and correct inconsistencies in the regulatory text and figures in FMVSS Nos. 213a and 213b. This final rule also partially grants the petition to align compliance dates between the standards. All other requests are denied. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> <E T="03">Effective date:</E> November 8, 2024. <E T="03">Reconsideration date:</E> If you wish to petition for reconsideration of this rule, your petition must be received by November 25, 2024. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> Petitions for reconsideration of this final rule must refer to the docket and notice number set forth above and be submitted to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Note that all petitions received will be posted without change to <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov,</E> including any personal information provided. <E T="03">Confidential Business Information:</E> If you wish to submit any information under a claim of confidentiality, you should submit your complete submission, including the information you claim to be confidential business information, to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the address given under <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> . In addition, you should submit a copy, from which you have deleted the claimed confidential business information, to Docket Management at the address given above. When you send a submission containing information claimed to be confidential business information, you should include a cover letter setting forth the information specified in our confidential business information regulation (49 CFR part 512). Please see further information in the Regulatory Notices and Analyses section of this preamble. <E T="03">Privacy Act:</E> The petition will be placed in the docket. Anyone can search the electronic form of all documents 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 <E T="04">Federal Register</E> published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit <E T="03">https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices.</E> <E T="03">Docket:</E> For access to the docket to read background documents, go to <E T="03">www.regulations.gov,</E> or the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> For technical issues, you may call Cristina Echemendia, Office of Crashworthiness Standards (telephone: (202) 366-6345). For legal issues, you may call Matthew Filpi, Office of Chief Counsel (telephone: (202) 366-2992). Address: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Petitions for Reconsideration (FMVSS No. 213a) and Agency Response</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Dynamic Test Procedure for CRSs With Fixed, Adjustable and Configurable Side Impact Technologies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Arm Positioning for CRSs With a Fixed or Movable Surface To Restrain the Child in FMVSS No. 213a</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Side Impact Seat Assembly Mounting Angle Tolerance Correction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Fix Inconsistent Units for Radius and Protrusion Limits in FMVSS Nos. 213, 213a and 213b</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">e. Removing “At NHTSA's Option” Phrase in S6.1.2</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">f. Removing 45 Degree CRS Angle at Completion of Test Requirement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">g. Correcting Error on Table 1 to S5.1.6</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">h. Clarifications</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Petitions for Reconsideration (FMVSS Nos. 213 and 213b) and Agency Response</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Aligning Compliance Dates</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Removing Type 1 Seat Belt Testing or Changing Sunset Date</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Unit Conversion Consistency</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Remove Duplicative Language</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">e. Registration Card Guidelines</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Correction to Regulatory Text</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Compliance Date and Effective Date</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Regulatory Analyses and Notices</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> On June 30, 2022, NHTSA published a final rule (side impact final rule) (87 FR 39234) amending FMVSS No. 213, “Child restraint systems,” to establish side impact performance requirements for CRSs designed to seat children weighing up to 18.1 kilograms (kg) (40 pounds (lbs)), or for children in a height range that includes heights up to 1100 millimeters (43.3 inches). The side impact performance requirements were established in the new FMVSS No. 213a, “Child restraint systems—side impact protection,” which is referenced by Standard No. 213. On December 5, 2023, NHTSA published a final rule (frontal test upgrade final rule) (88 FR 84514) amending FMVSS No. 213 and adding FMVSS No. 213b, “Child restraint systems.” The amendments to FMVSS No. 213 modernize the standard by updating the CRS owner registration program, labeling requirements instructing consumers on correct use of child restraints, requirements for add-on school bus-specific child restraint systems, and provisions for NHTSA's use of test dummies in NHTSA compliance tests. The establishment of FMVSS No. 213b will update the standard seat assembly on which NHTSA tests child restraint systems for compliance with frontal crash performance requirements. NHTSA received petitions for reconsideration of the side impact final rule, <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> from Columbus Trading-Partners USA, Inc. (Cybex products distributor) and Evenflo (Goodbaby International subsidiary) Inc. (Evenflo). NHTSA received petitions for reconsideration  <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> of the frontal test upgrade final rule from Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and Evenflo. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  Petitions have been docketed here: <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov/document/NHTSA-2022-0051-0004.</E> </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  Petitions have been docketed here: <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov/document/NHTSA-2023-0040-0003.</E> </FTNT> The petitioners to the side impact final rule requested clarifications on dummy positioning test procedures for shield-type CRSs and on test procedures for CRSs that have adjustable and configurable technologies for side impact. The petitioners also requested minor corrections to the regulatory text of the adopted standard. NHTSA is granting the petitions to incorporate a dummy positioning procedure for shield-type CRSs, correct inconsistencies in the side impact seat assembly mounting angle tolerances in the regulatory text and figures, and correct inconsistent units between the standards. NHTSA is denying the remaining requests from the two petitioners. The petitioners to the frontal test upgrade final rule requested the following: (1) consolidations of the compliance dates  <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> of FMVSS Nos. 213, 213a and 213b, (2) removal of tests with CRS installation using Type 1 seat belt or an earlier sunset date for testing CRSs installed with the Type 1 seat belt, (3) minor corrections to the regulatory text of the adopted standards, and, (4) guidance on the new requirements for the registration card. NHTSA is partially granting the request to align the compliance dates and granting the request to remove Type 1 seat belt testing. NHTSA is also making minor corrections to the regulatory text identified by the petitioners. The agency is denying the request for rulemaking to provide guidance on the new registration card requirements. <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>  The compliance date is the date that the applicable products must comply with the rule. </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">II. Petitions for Reconsideration (FMVSS No. 213a) and Agency Responses</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">a. Dynamic Test Procedure for CRSs With Fixed, Adjustable, and Configurable Side Impact Technologies</HD> Cybex requested NHTSA clarify how fixed, adjustable, and configurable side impact technologies will be tested in future annual compliance test programs. Cybex explained that previous NHTSA interpretations have deemed “belt tensioning bars, additional straps and support legs” as supplemental devices. Cybex further no ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 85k characters. 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