WASHINGTON (CN) - The Transportation Department folded on side impact protection lead times and the phasing-in of new requirements.
Last September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a regulation that upgraded the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for side impact protection. It incorporated a test in which the vehicle hits a pole, adopted technically-advanced test dummies and enhanced injury criteria. It also incorporated the advanced dummies into the standard's moving simulated car barrier test.
Seven car manufacturers asked for two years lead time in addition to the two years already given, with convertibles to comply in the fifth year. The DOT has given the petitioners three years total to comply, instead.
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