Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 245 / Thursday, December 21, 1995 / Notices 66341

Maritime Administration

Notice of Approval of Applicant as

Trustee

Notice is hereby given that First Trust

of Illinois, National Association, with

offices at 400 North Michigan Avenue,

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, has been

approved as Trustee pursuant to Public

Law 100–710 and 46 CFR part 221.

Dated: December 18, 1995.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Joel C. Richard,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95–31105 Filed 12–20–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P

Notice of Change of Name of Approved

Trustee

Notice is hereby given that effective

April 22, 1994, Bank of Delaware, with

offices at 222 Delaware Avenue,

Wilmington, Delaware, 19899–0791, has

changed its name to PNC Bank,

Delaware.

Dated: December 18, 1995.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Joel C. Richard,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95–31104 Filed 12–20–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

Petition for Exemption From the

Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention

Standard; Volkswagen

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Grant of petition for exemption.

SUMMARY: This notice grants in full the

petition of Volkswagen of America, Inc.,

(Volkswagen) for an exemption from the

parts-marking requirements of the

Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention

Standard for the Model Year (MY) 1997

Passat car line. This petition is granted

because the agency has determined that

the antitheft device to be placed on the

line as standard equipment is likely to

be as effective in reducing and deterring

motor theft as compliance with the

parts-marking requirements of the Theft

Prevention Standard.

DATES: The exemption granted by this

notice is effective beginning with the

1997 model year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Barbara Gray, Office of Market

Incentives, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,

S.W., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Gray’s

telephone number is (202) 366–1740.

Her fax number is (202) 493–2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

September 1, 1995, Volkswagen of

America, Inc., (Volkswagen), submitted

a petition for exemption from the partsmarking requirements of the Theft

Prevention Standard (49 CFR Part 541)

for the Passat car line. The petition is

pursuant to 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption

from Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard,

based on the installation of an antitheft

device as standard equipment for the

entire line.

Volkswagen’s submittal is considered

a complete petition, as required by 49

CFR Part 543.7, in that it met the general

requirements contained in § 543.5 and

the specific content requirements of

§ 543.6. Volkswagen requested

confidential treatment for some of the

information and attachments submitted

in support of its petition, including the

date of production for the Passat car

line. In a letter to Volkswagen dated

October 2, 1995, the agency granted the

petitioner’s request for confidential

treatment.

In its petition, Volkswagen provided a

detailed description and diagram of the

identity, design, and location of the

components of the antitheft device for

the new line. This antitheft device

includes an engine starter-interrupt

feature and an alarm function. The

antitheft device is activated by removing

the ignition key and locking either of

the front doors with it. The alarm

monitors the doors, hood, trunk and

radio.

In order to ensure reliability and

durability of the device, Volkswagen

stated that it conducted tests based on

its own specified standards. Volkswagen

provided the test reports for its

proposed antitheft device, which is

essentially the same as that currently

installed on the MY 1994 Volkswagen

Corrado, showing that the reliability and

durability of the device complied with

specified performance requirements for

each test. Volkswagen stated that the

device complied with its standards for

durability, electrical and electronic

operating requirements, thermal and

mechanical shock resistance and

electromagnetic compatibility.

Volkswagen compared the device

proposed for the Passat car line with

devices which NHTSA has determined

to be as effective in reducing and

deterring motor vehicle theft as would

compliance with the parts-marking

requirements. Volkswagen stated that

antitheft devices such as that proposed

for its line and those already granted

exemptions from the parts-marking

requirements have been found effective

in reducing motor vehicle theft.

Specifically, Volkswagen based its belief

on reduced theft rates for comparable

lines such as the Mitsubishi Diamante,

the Toyota Cressida, the Nissan

Maxima, the Toyota Supra, the Nissan

300ZX, the Mazda RX–7, and the Audi

5000. Additionally, Volkswagen stated

that the Passat car line experienced theft

rates below the median theft rate

(3.5826) for MYs 1990/1991 and 1992.

Volkswagen believes that the low-theft

ratings for those years may be

attributable to the installation of an

antitheft device as standard equipment

on the line beginning with the 1991

model year. Volkswagen stated that it

believes the theft rating for the MY 1997

Passat car line with the installation of

the antitheft device described in its

petition will also be below the 3.5826

median theft rate.

Based on evidence submitted by

Volkswagen, the agency believes that

the antitheft device for the MY 1997

Volkswagen Passat line is likely to be as

effective in reducing and deterring

motor vehicle theft as compliance with

the parts-marking requirements of the

Theft Prevention Standard (49 CFR Part

541).

The agency believes that the device

will provide the types of performance

listed in 49 CFR Part 543.6(a)(3):

promoting activation; attracting

attention to unauthorized entries;

preventing defeat or circumvention of

the device by unauthorized persons;

preventing operation of the vehicle by

unauthorized entrants; and ensuring the

reliability and durability of the device.

As required by 49 U.S.C. 33106 and

49 CFR Part 543.6(a)(4) and (5), the

agency finds that Volkswagen has

provided adequate reasons for its belief

that the antitheft device will reduce and

deter theft. This conclusion is based on

the information Volkswagen provided

about its device. This confidential

information included a description of

reliability and functional tests

conducted by Volkswagen for the

antitheft device and its components.

For the foregoing reasons, the agency

hereby grants in full Volkswagen’s

petition for exemption for the MY 1997

Passat car line from the parts-marking

requirements of 49 CFR Part 541.

If Volkswagen decides not to use the

exemption for this line, it must formally

notify the agency, and, thereafter, the

line must be fully marked as required by

49 CFR Parts 541.5 and 541.6 (marking

of major component parts and

replacement parts).

NHTSA notes that if Volkswagen

wishes in the future to modify the

device on which this exemption is

based, the company may have to submit