| Vehicle Safety Compliance |
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The Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, investigates compliance with Federal motor vehicle safety standards and associated regulations, and to this end may verify that manufacturers certify compliance with all applicable safety standards collect field reports from all sources. Inspect manufacturers certification test data and other supporting evidence, including dealer communications, inspect vehicles and equipment already in use or new vehicles and equipment at any stage of the manufacturing, distribution and sales chain. Conduct selective compliance tests and Utilize other means necessary to conduct investigations. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards In order to reduce traffic accidents, and deaths and injuries resulting from traffic accidents, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was enacted on September 9, 1966. The law directed the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to promulgate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), to which manufacturers of motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment must conform and certify compliance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a legislative mandate under Title 49 of the United States Code, Chapter 301, Motor Vehicle Safety, to issue Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS Compliance) and Regulations to which manufacturers of motor vehicle and equipment items must conform and certify compliance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers. For decades the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has been a leader in finding out what works and doesn't work to prevent motor vehicle crashes in the first place and reduce injuries in the crashes that still occur. The Institute's research focuses on countermeasures aimed at all three factors in motor vehicle crashes (human, vehicular, and environmental) and on interventions that can occur before, during, and after crashes to reduce losses. In 1992 the Vehicle Research Center (VRC) was opened. This center, which includes a state-of-the-art crash test facility, is the focus of most of the Institute's vehicle-related research. The Institute's affiliate organization, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), gathers, processes, and publishes data on the ways in which insurance losses vary among different kinds of vehicles. National Compliance Advisory Panel (NCAP) - NCAP compliance Often acting as an advocacy group for small business, the National Compliance Advisory Panel (NCAP) is an additional resource that can help you with the NCAP compliance process. NCAP aims to foster small business success by helping companies improve their environmental performance and to be in full compliance with EPA standards. Hybrid vehicles use high voltage batteries and electric motors to achieve their fuel economy gains. The battery packs quite a wallop, 144 volts on a Honda Insight or Civic, 201 volts on a second-generation (2004) Toyota Prius (which is bumped up to 500 volts by the power inverter at the electric motors!), 275 volts on a first-generation Toyota Prius (2001-03), 288 volts on a Lexus RX400H and Toyota Highlander, and 330 volts on a Ford Escape Hybrid. This is more than enough juice to toast anyone who accidentally comes into contact with the high voltage battery, wiring or powertrain components. In the United States, each state government is free to decide whether to require vehicle safety inspection, as well as the specifics of the inspection program. 18 states and the District of Columbia have a periodic (annual or biannual) safety inspection program, while Maryland requires an inspection prior to registration or transfer of ownership only. Electric Vehicle Safety was and is the primary reason charging equipment and safety standards have progressed in the direction they have. Some Electric Vehicle Safety enthusiasts assert that existing plugs and receptacles, such as NEMA 14-50R or -30R, provide sufficient safety for an Electric Vehicle application. |