[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53445-53446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25548]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-99-6270]
Notice of Public Meeting for Strategies to Address the Potential
for Driver Distraction Due to Emerging Vehicle Technologies
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: On October 15, 1999, NHTSA will conduct a public meeting to
discuss strategies for realizing the benefits of advanced driver
assistance and information technologies without compromising safety.
These new technologies, known as telematics, include a range of
automotive devices to transmit, receive, or display information. The
intent of this meeting is to share viewpoints, information, and
findings, if any, relative to the safety impact of telematics devices
among the public, industry, government, and safety groups. Topics to be
discussed include the need for research to understand the safety
implications of telematics, the role of various entities in promoting
best practices in the design and use of these devices, and
opportunities for proper evaluation of the safety impacts of such
systems to ensure the safe design, application, and use of telematics
devices.
DATES: Public Meeting: NHTSA will hold the public meeting on October
15, 1999, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Written Comments: The agency has established Docket No. NHTSA-99-
6270 as a repository for comment on issues related to the safety of
telematics devices. Written comments may be made to this docket at any
time.
ADDRESSES: Public Meeting: The public meeting will be held in room
2230, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW,
Washington DC 20590.
Written Comments: If you wish to submit written comments on the
issues related to or discussed at this meeting, they should refer to
Docket No. NHTSA-99-6270 and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room
PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590 (Docket hours
are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. August Burgett, Office of Vehicle
Safety Research, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590
(telephone 202-366-5663, Aburgett@nhtsa.dot.gov) or Dr. Jeffrey
Michael, EMS Division, NTS-14, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC
20590 (telephone 202-366-4299, Jmichael@nhtsa.dot.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
The increasing utilization of certain advanced technologies in
automobiles brings both the promise of safety enhancement and concerns
about safety compromises due to the potential of crash causation.
Technologies which transmit, receive, or display information from an
automobile have collectively been termed telematics, and include
devices such as automatic collision notification systems, navigation
systems, and driver warning systems, as well as in-vehicle fax
machines, telephones, and other communication equipment.
Many of the functions performed by these devices promise direct
safety benefits, for example automatic notification of emergency
personnel following a crash or hazard alerts to inform drivers of
dangerous traffic and roadway conditions. However, devices which
provide drivers with additional information could also distract the
driver from the task of operating the vehicle and increase the risk of
crashes.
B. Public Meeting
On October 15, 1999, NHTSA will conduct a public meeting, providing
a forum for industry, safety, research groups, and the general public
to discuss strategies for realizing the safety and other benefits of
telematics technologies without compromising safety. The intent of this
meeting is to share viewpoints, information, and findings relative to
the issue of the safety impact of telematics devices. Topics to be
discussed include current research plans among stakeholders, the need
for further research to understand the safety implications of
telematics, the role of policies to promote best practices in the
design and use of these devices,
[[Page 53446]]
and opportunities for proper evaluation of the safety impact of these
systems to ensure the safe design, application, and use of telematics
devices.
C. Written Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on this notice.
Two copies should be submitted to Docket Management at the address
given at the beginning of this document. Comments must not exceed 15
pages in length (49 CFR 553.21). Necessary attachments may be appended
to these submissions without regard to the 15-page limit. This
limitation is intended to encourage commenters to detail their primary
arguments in a concise fashion.
If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim
of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including
purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to
the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and two
copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been
deleted should be submitted to Docket Management. A request for
confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth
the information specified in the agency's confidential business
information regulation, 49 CFR part 512.
Issued on: September 27, 1999.
Raymond P. Owings,
Associate Administrator for Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 99-25548 Filed 9-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-U
