NHTSA has published a proposal to addresses safety issues arising from increased availability of ignition systems that do not use physical keys to start and stop passenger motor vehicles’ engines or other propulsion systems. Consider it fallout from the Toyota saga.
At issue are drivers’ inability to stop a moving vehicle in a panic situation, and drivers who unintentionally leave the vehicle without the vehicle transmission’s being locked in “park,” or with the engine still running, increasing the chances of vehicle rollaway or carbon monoxide poisoning in an enclosed area.
In the NPRM, among other matters, NHTSA proposes to standardize the length of time it is necessary to push a control to stop the vehicle engine or other propulsion system. NHTSA is also proposing to require that an audible warning be given to any driver who: (1) attempts to shut down the propulsion system without first moving the gear selection control to the “park” position (for vehicles with a “park” position); (2) exits a vehicle without having first moved the gear selection control to “park” (for vehicles with a “park” position), or (3) exits a vehicle without first turning off the propulsion system.
The proposal would, if finalized:
- Clarify that definitions for “key” and “starting system” currently in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114 apply to all propulsion systems.
- Propose a new definition for “key code carrying device.”
- Propose to revise the definition of “starting system.”
- Propose a new definition for “stop control.”
- Delete the door opening alert exclusion currently in FMVSS No. 114 for a running vehicle (only for vehicles equipped with keyless ignition).
- Add requirements for the operation of a pushed stop control: the driver must hold the control for a minimum of 500 milliseconds to shut down the propulsion system, whether the vehicle is moving or stationary, and the propulsion system must shut down within 1 second of the initial push of the stop control.
- Add a requirement for an internal alert to the driver when s/he requests propulsion system shut down without first placing the gear selection control in “park.”
- Add a requirement for an external alert that the driver and bystanders can hear when the vehicle is not in “park” and the driver exits the vehicle.
- Add a requirement for an external alert that sounds when the driver leaves a keyless ignition vehicle with the propulsion system active.
- Add new test procedures for the new requirements.
NHTSA proposes a lead time of two years from the next September 1 after a final rule is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER.
The deadline for comments will be around March 9, 2012.
A copy of the proposal is available here.
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