2127-AK93 201410 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 2127 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA 2100 Department of Transportation DOT Sound for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

This rulemaking would respond to the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, which directs the Secretary of Transportation to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind, and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation for hybrid and electric vehicles. The PRIA contains an estimate of 2,800 fewer injured pedestrians and pedalcyclists (35 equivalent lives saved) at a total estimated cost of $23.5 million at the 3 percent discount rate, and $22.9 million at the 7 percent discount rate, should the requirements of the NPRM be made final.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 49 CFR 571 49 CFR 585 49 USC 30111 49 USC 30115 49 USC 30117 49 USC 30166 49 USC 322 delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 Statutory NPRM 07/05/2012 Initiate rulemaking Statutory Final 01/03/2014 Final Rule Legislation requires the Secretary of Transportation to initiate rulemaking by July 2012, and issue a final rule not later than January 2014. Yes

The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, signed into law on January 4, 2011, directs the Secretary to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation. The agency's proposed safety standard, issued January 14, 2013, will require hybrid and electric passenger cars, light trucks and vans (LTVs), medium and heavy duty trucks, buses, low speed vehicles (LSVs), and motorcycles to meet specified sound requirements as required by the Act. This standard will ensure that blind, visually-impaired, and other pedestrians are able to detect and recognize nearby hybrid and electric vehicles. The proposal estimated that 2,800 total pedestrians injured will be avoided, due to this proposal's representation of 35 equivalent lives saved.

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Section 30111, title 49 of the U.S.C., states that the Secretary shall prescribe motor vehicle safety standards.

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The Agency considered and sought public comment on alternatives including: (1) taking no action; (2) requiring alert sounds based on recordings of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; (3) specifying acoustic requirements for synthetic sounds that would closely resemble sounds produced by ICE vehicles; (4) setting requirements for alert sounds that possess aspects of both sounds produced by ICE vehicles and acoustic elements that contribute to detectability; and (5) using psychoacoustic principals to develop requirements for alert sounds that would have enhanced detectability, but would not necessarily have a reference to sounds produced by ICE vehicles.

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In 2010 dollars at a 7 percent discount rate, the total costs are estimated to be $24.4 million and monetized benefits at $134.1 million, with net benefits estimated at $109.7 million.

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The Agency believes that there are no significant risks associated with this rulemaking, and that only beneficial outcomes will occur.

]]> NPRM 01/14/2013 78 FR 2797 NPRM Comment Period End 03/15/2013 Final Rule 04/00/2015 No Businesses None No No www.regulations.gov www.regulations.gov No Yes Marisol Medri Safety Engineer 2127 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA 202 366-6987 marisol.medri@dot.gov 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington DC 20590