On December 13, 2016, NHTSA released its Vehicle to Vehicle Communications (V2V) NPRM which proposes to establish a new FMVSS 150 (V2V Communications) to mandate V2V communications for new light vehicles and to standardize the message and format of V2V transmissions.
NHTSA’s proposal would require that new light vehicles include V2V communication technology able to transmit standardized basic safety messages (BSMs) over Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC). The proposal would also require that similarly-capable aftermarket devices achieve the same DSRC performance.
In short, the proposed FMVSS covers:
- what information needs to be sent to the surrounding vehicles;
- how the vehicle needs to send that information;
- how a vehicle validates and assigns confidence in the information; and
- how a vehicle makes sure the prior three functions work in various operational conditions (i.e., broadcast under congested conditions, manage misbehavior, and update security materials).
The proposed standard would apply to new passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds (4,536 kilograms) or less.
NHTSA is not mandating or proposing performance standards for Left Turn Assist (LTA) and Intersection Movement Assist (IMA) or any other safety applications.
NHTSA is proposing that the effective date for manufacturers to begin implementing these new requirements would be two model years after the final rule is adopted, with a three year phase-in period (50%, 75%, 100%). In the NPRM, NHTSA writes: “[a]ssuming a final rule is issued in 2019, this would mean that the phase-in period would begin in 2021 and all vehicles subject to that final rule would be required to comply in 2023.”
NHTSA estimates that the total annual costs to comply with the mandate in the 30th year after it takes effect would range from $2.2 billion to $5.0 billion, corresponding to a cost per new vehicle of roughly $135-$300. This estimate includes costs for equipment installed on vehicles as well as the annualized equivalent value of initial investments necessary to establish the overarching security manager and the communications system. The agency estimates that in 2051 the rule could reduce the costs resulting from motor vehicle crashes by $53 to $71 billion.
Comments will be due 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Docket Reference: NHTSA-2016-0126.
NHTSA contacts: For technical issues, Mr. Gregory Powell, Office of Rulemaking, Tel: (202) 366-5206; email: gregory.powell@dot.gov. For legal issues, Ms. Rebecca Yoon, Office of the Chief Counsel, Tel: (202) 366-2992; email: rebecca.yoon@dot.gov.
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