. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/138/Add.3 
18 May 2009  
 (09-2417) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
Addendum
 
  
 The following communication, dated 13 May 2009, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States
.  
 
_______________ 
  
TITLE: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard s; Roof Crush Resistance; Phase-In Reporting 
Requirements; Final Rule  AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administ ration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation 
 
ACTION:  Final Rule 
 SUMMARY:  This Final rule upgrades the safety st andard on roof crush resistance. First, for the 
vehicles currently subject to the standard, i.e ., passenger cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles, 
trucks and buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight Ra ting (GVWR) of 2,722 kilograms (6,000 pounds) or 
less, the rule doubles the amount of force the vehicle' s roof structure must withstand in the specified 
test, from 1.5 times the vehicle's unloaded weight to 3.0 times the vehicle's unloaded weight. Second, the rule extends the applicability of the standard so that it will also apply to vehicles with a GVWR 
greater than 2,722 kilograms (6,000 pounds), but not greater than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds). The rule establishes a force requirement of 1.5 ti mes the vehicle's unloaded weight for these newly 
included vehicles. Third, the rule requires all of  the above vehicles to meet the specified force 
requirements in a two-sided test, instead of a single-sided test, i.e., the same vehicle must meet the 
force requirements when tested first on one side and then on the other side of the vehicle. Fourth, the 
rule establishes a new requirement for maintenance of  headroom, i.e., survival space, during testing in 
addition to the existing limit on the amount of roof crush. The rule also includes a number of special 
provisions, including ones related to leadtime, to  address the needs of multi-stage manufacturers, 
alterers, and small volume manufacturers. 
 Effective date: The date on which this final rule amends the CFR is 13 July 2009. The incorporation 
by reference of a publication listed in the rule is a pproved by the Director of the Federal Register as of 
13 July 2009. 
 
Compliance dates: Passenger cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses with a GVWR of 2,722 kilograms (6,000 pounds) or less. Th is final rule adopts a phase-in of the upgraded 
roof crush resistance requirements for these ve hicles. The phase-in begi ns on 1 September 2012.  
By 1 September 2015, all of these vehicles must meet the upgraded requirements, with certain exceptions. Vehicles produced in more than one st age and altered vehicles need not meet the 
upgraded requirements until 1 September 2016. Mu ltipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses 
with a GVWR greater than 2,722 kilograms (6,000 poun ds) and less than or equal to 4,536 kilograms G/TBT/N/USA/138/Add.3 
Page 2  
 
  (10,000 pounds). All of these vehicles must meet  the requirements beginning 1 September 2016, with 
certain exceptions. Vehicles produced in more than one stage and altered vehicles need not meet the 
requirements until 1 September 2017.  For further information contact:   
Christopher J. Wiacek  
NHTSA  Office of Crashworthiness Standards  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE West Building 
Washington, DC 2059 USA 
Tel: 202 366 4801  Full text at: http://edocket.access.gpo. gov/2009/E9-10431.htm
 
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-10431.pdf  
    
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