Manufacturers of motor vehicles
headlamp light source must provide performance and
interchangeability information to NHTSA and the public in order to
assure reliable and respectable performance of original and field
replaced headlamp bulbs. Title 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30112, and
30117 authorize the issuance of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS) and the collection of data which supports their
implementation. The agency, in prescribing a FMVSS, is to consider
available relevant motor vehicle safety data, and to consult with
other agencies as it deems appropriate. Further, the Title 49
U.S.C. mandates, that in issuing any FMVSS, the agency consider
whether the standard is "reasonable, practicable and appropriate
for the particular type of motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle
equipment for which it is prescribed," and whether such standards
will contribute to carrying out the purpose of Title 49 U.S.C.
Using this authority, the agency issued the initial FMVSS No. 108,
"Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment," specifying
requirements for vehicle lighting for the purposes of reducing
traffic accidents and their tragic results by providing adequate
roadway illumination, improved vehicle conspicuity, appropriate
information transmission through signal lamps in day, night, and
other conditions of reduced visibility. The standard has been
amended numerous times in order to permit new headlighting designs.
In recent years, the standard had become burdensome to both
regulators and regulated parties in that the standard has not been
able to fully accommodate the styling needs of motor vehicle
designers, while at the same time assuring the safety on the
highways. This has resulted in numerous burdensome petitions for
rulemaking to be submitted by the vehicle and lighting
manufacturers to change the design restrictive language. The reason
for this burden was that as originally adopted, the standard was
more equipment design oriented, rather than performance oriented.
Recent amendments have helped to rectify this situation. The
requirement for replaceable light source dimensional information
has resulted in a further extension of that effort to make the
standard more performance oriented, and reduce the burden of
petitioning for amendments to the Standard. The standard now allows
headlamp light sources (bulbs) that are specified in the standard
as well as those listed in Part 564 to assure proper photometric
performance upon replacement of the light source upon failure of
the original. The original bulb manufacturer may not be the same as
that of the aftermarket replacement; consequently, headlamp bulbs
regardless of where they are manufactured are required to be
standardized by inclusion of their interchangeability dimensions
and other fit and photometric aspects. To accomplish this, all
identical type bulbs must be manufactured to those pertinent
interchangeability specifications. Implementation of Part 564
reduces the burden to manufacturers and users of new light sources
by eliminating the 18 month petitioning process and substituting a
1 month agency review. Upon completion of that review, the new
bulb's interchangeability information is listed in Part 564 and the
new bulbs may be used 1 month later on new vehicles.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
2017 Replaceable Light Source ICR Supporting Statements_02072018.doc
Replaceable Light Source Dimensional Information Collection-- 49 CFR 564