Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming Model Year 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL500 Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation |
|---|
Topics: Mercedes-Benz GL500
|
Michael A. Cole
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
30 November 2018
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61719-61721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26061]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2018-0007; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
Model Year 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL500 Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are
Eligible for Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Receipt of petition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that
certain model year (MY) 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL500 multipurpose passenger
vehicles (MPVs) 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
[[Page 61720]]
vehicles that were originally manufactured for sale in the United
States and were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the
safety standards (the U.S.-certified 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL550 MPV) and
are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is December 31,
2018.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written data,
views, and arguments on this petition. Comments must refer to the
docket number cited in the title of this notice and must be submitted
by any of the following methods:
Mail: Send comments by mail addressed to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver comments by hand to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590. The Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
except for Federal Holidays.
Electronically: Submit comments electronically by logging
onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Comments may also be faxed to (202) 493-2251.
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 comments you have submitted by mail were
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided.
All comments, background documentation, and supporting materials
submitted to the docket may be viewed by anyone at the address and
times given above. The documents may also be viewed on the internet at
https://www.regulations.gov by following the online instructions for
accessing the dockets. The docket ID number for this petition is shown
in the heading of this notice.
DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement is available for review in a
Federal Register notice published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477-78).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil Thurgood, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-0712).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. History: 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 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.
II. Summary of Petition: Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories
(WETL), of Houston, Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned
NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming MY 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL500 MPVs
are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which
WETL believes are substantially similar are MY 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL550
MPV sold in the United States and certified by their manufacturer as
conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
The petitioner claims that it compared non-U.S.-certified MY 2016
Mercedes-Benz GL500 MPVs to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and
found the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to
compliance with most FMVSS.
The petitioner submitted information with its petition intended to
demonstrate that the subject non-U.S.-certified vehicles, as originally
manufactured, conform to many applicable 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 the non-U.S.-certified MY
2016 Mercedes-Benz GL500 MPVs, as originally manufactured, conforms to:
Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Position Sequence, Starter
Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting
and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106
Brake Hoses, 110 Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation
Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles
with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or Less, 113 Hood Latch
System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window,
Partition, and Roof Panel Systems, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126
Electronic Stability Control Systems for Light Vehicles, 135 Light
Vehicle Brake Systems, 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, 201
Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202a Head Restraints; Mandatory
Applicability Begins on September 1, 2009, 203 Impact Protection for
the Driver from the Steering Control System, 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, Applicable unless a
Vehicle is Certified to Sec. 571.216a, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion,
225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and
302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S.-certified
MPVs are capable of being readily altered to meet the following
standards, in the manner indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: The brake warning telltale
must be modified to show the word ``BRAKE'' when activated.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: The headlamps and front side marker lamps must be removed
and replaced with conforming lamps.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: The passenger side mirror must
be replaced with a U.S.-model that includes the required warning label.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention:
Installation of the U.S.-model anti-theft system to activate the key
warning, audible alarm.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Inspection to ascertain
if the software and firmware installed in the vehicle are the same as
the most up-to-date versions installed in the U.S.-conforming version
of the vehicle. Replacement of any software or
[[Page 61721]]
firmware found not to be the most recent version.
The petitioner further states that labels will be affixed to
conform the vehicle to the requirements of 49 CFR parts 565 and 567,
VIN Content and Certification, respectively.
III. Comments: All comments and supporting materials received
before the close of business on the closing date indicated above will
be filed in the docket and considered. Comments filed after the closing
date will also be considered to the fullest extent possible and
available for examination in the docket at the above ADDRESSES.
Once the petition is granted or denied, notice of the decision will
be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority
indicated at the end of this notice.
This notice of receipt of the subject petition does not represent
any agency decision or other exercise of judgment concerning the merits
of the petition. 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), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.
Michael A. Cole,
Acting Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-26061 Filed 11-29-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P