positions for drivers, including drivers unfamiliar with the 
vehicle, and to improve the conspicuity of the neutral posi-
tion. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a final rule 
under subsection (a) within 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 108. VEHICLE EVENT DATA RECORDERS. 
(a) REQUIRED EVENT DATA RECORDERS.—Not later 
than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall modify the regulation contained in part 
563 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to require that 
passenger motor vehicles sold in the United States be 
equipped with an event data recorder that meets the re-
quirements for event data recorders set forth in such part. 
The Secretary shall require manufacturers to include such 
event data recorders in their entire fleet beginning in model 
year 2015. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR EVENT DATA RECORDERS.— 
The Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding pur-
suant to section 30111 of title 49, United States Code, to 
require that the event data recorders required to be installed 
in passenger motor vehicles pursuant to subsection (a) con-
tinuously record vehicle operational data that can be stored 
and accessed for retrieval and analysis in accordance with 
subsections (c) and (d). 
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(c) SPECIFICATIONS.—The rule— 
(1) shall require such recorders to store data cov-
ering a reasonable time before, during, and after a 
crash or airbag deployment, including information on 
engine performance, steering, braking, acceleration, 
vehicle speed, seat belt use, and airbag deployment 
level, deactivation status, deployment time, and de-
ployment stage, and may require such recorders to 
store other data, such as data related to vehicle roll-
overs, as the Secretary considers appropriate; 
(2) shall require such recorders to store data cov-
ering at least a sufficient period of time to capture 
all relevant data from a crash, including vehicle roll-
overs, and shall establish appropriate recording times 
for capturing data prior to a crash event; 
(3) may require such recorders to capture certain 
events such as rapid deceleration and full braking 
lasting more than 10 seconds, even if there is not a 
crash or airbag deployment; 
(4) may not require information recorded or 
transmitted by such data recorders to include the ve-
hicle location, except for the purposes of emergency re-
sponse; 
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(5) shall require that data stored on such record-
ers be accessible, regardless of vehicle manufacturer or 
model, with commercially available equipment; 
(6) shall specify any data format requirements 
or other requirements, including a standardized data 
access port, the Secretary determines appropriate to 
facilitate accessibility and analysis; and 
(7) shall require that such recorders meet at least 
the performance requirements for crash resistance in-
cluded in part 563 of title 49, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (as amended January 14, 2008), and, if the 
Secretary determines that these requirements do not 
provide adequate temperature, crash, or water resist-
ance, shall establish such additional standards. 
(d) LIMITATIONS ON INFORMATION RETRIEVAL.— 
(1) OWNERSHIP
OF
DATA.—The rule issued 
under subsection (b) shall provide that any data in 
a data recorder required under the rule is the prop-
erty of the owner or lessee of the motor vehicle in 
which the data recorder is installed. 
(2) PRIVACY.—The rule issued under subsection 
(b) shall provide that information recorded or trans-
mitted by such a data recorder may not be retrieved 
by a person other than the owner or lessee of the 
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motor vehicle in which the recorder is installed un-
less— 
(A) a court authorizes retrieval of the infor-
mation in furtherance of a legal proceeding; 
(B) the owner or lessee consents to the re-
trieval of the information for any purpose, in-
cluding the purpose of diagnosing, servicing, or 
repairing the motor vehicle; or 
(C) the information is retrieved by a gov-
ernment motor vehicle safety agency for the pur-
pose of improving motor vehicle safety if the per-
sonally identifiable information of the owner, les-
see, or driver of the vehicle and the vehicle iden-
tification number is not disclosed in connection 
with the retrieved information. 
(3) TAMPER
RESISTANCE.—The rule issued 
under subsection (b) shall establish performance re-
quirements for preventing unauthorized access to the 
data stored on such event data recorder in order to 
protect the security, integrity, and authenticity of the 
data. 
(e) DISCLOSURE OF EXISTENCE AND PURPOSE OF 
EVENT DATA RECORDER.—The rule issued under sub-
section (a) shall provide that any owner’s manual or simi-
lar documentation provided to the first purchaser of a pas-
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senger motor vehicle for purposes other than resale shall dis-
close that the vehicle is equipped with such a data recorder 
and explain the purpose of the recorder. 
(f) ACCESS TO EVENT DATA RECORDERS IN DEFECT 
INVESTIGATIONS.—Section 30166(c)(3)(C) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘, including 
any electronic data contained within the vehicle’s diag-
nostic system or event data recorder’’ after ‘‘equipment’’. 
(g) DEADLINE
FOR RULEMAKING.—The Secretary 
shall issue a final rule under subsection (a) not later than 
3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 109. COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE ROLLOVER PRE-
VENTION AND CRASH MITIGATION. 
(a) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate 
a rulemaking proceeding pursuant to section 30111 of title 
49, United States Code, to prescribe or amend a Federal 
motor vehicle safety standard to reduce commercial motor 
vehicle rollover and loss of control crashes and mitigate 
deaths and injuries associated with such crashes for air- 
braked motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 
more than 26,000 pounds. 
(b) REQUIRED PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.—The rule-
making proceeding initiated under subsection (a) shall es-
tablish standards to reduce the occurrence of rollovers con-
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sistent with stability enhancing technologies that address 
both rollovers and loss-of-control crashes. 
(c) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a final rule 
under subsection (a) not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 110. MINIMUM SOUND REQUIREMENT. 
(a) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 18 months fol-
lowing the date of enactment of this Act the Secretary shall 
initiate a rulemaking proceeding under section 30111 of 
title 49, United States Code, to promulgate a motor vehicle 
safety standard to establish performance requirements for 
an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to 
reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle oper-
ating below the cross-over speed, if any. Such standard— 
(1) shall require new electric or hybrid vehicles 
to provide an alert sound conforming to the require-
ments of the motor vehicle safety standard established 
under this subsection; 
(2) shall not require either driver or pedestrian 
activation of the alert sound; 
(3) shall allow the pedestrian to reasonably de-
tect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle in critical op-
erating scenarios, including but not limited to con-
stant speed, accelerating, and decelerating; 
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(4) shall allow manufacturers to provide each ve-
hicle with 1 or more alert sounds that comply with 
the motor vehicle safety standard at the time of man-
ufacture; and 
(5) shall require manufacturers to provide, with-
in reasonable manufacturing tolerances, the same 
alert sound or set of alert sounds for all vehicles of 
the same make and model and shall prohibit manu-
facturers from providing any mechanism for anyone 
other than the manufacturer or the dealer to disable, 
alter, replace, or modify the alert sound or set of alert 
sounds, except that the manufacturer or dealer may 
alter, replace, or modify the alert sound or set of alert 
sounds in order to remedy a defect or non-compliance 
with the motor vehicle safety standard. 
(b) CONSIDERATION.—When conducting the required 
rulemaking, the Secretary shall— 
(1) determine the minimum level of an alert 
sound emitted from a motor vehicle that is necessary 
to provide blind and other pedestrians with the infor-
mation needed to reasonably detect a nearby electric 
or hybrid vehicle operating at or below the cross-over 
speed, if any; 
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(2) determine the performance requirements for 
an alert sound that is recognizable to a pedestrian as 
a motor vehicle in operation; and 
(3) consider the overall noise impact to streets 
and communities. 
(c) PHASE-IN REQUIRED.—The motor vehicle safety 
standard prescribed pursuant to subsection (a) shall estab-
lish a phase-in period for compliance, as determined by the 
Secretary, and shall require full compliance with the re-
quired motor vehicle safety standard for motor vehicles 
manufactured on or after September 1 of the calendar year 
that begins 3 years after the date on which the final rule 
is issued. 
(d) CONSULTATION.—When conducting the required 
study and rulemaking, the Secretary shall consult with— 
(1) the Environmental Protection Agency to as-
sure that the motor vehicle safety standard is con-
sistent with existing noise requirements overseen by 
the Agency; 
(2) consumer groups representing individuals 
who are blind; 
(3) automobile manufacturers and professional 
organizations representing them; and 
(4) technical standardization organizations re-
sponsible for measurement methods such as the Soci-
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ety of Automotive Engineers, the International Orga-
nization for Standardization, and the United Nations 
Economic Commission for Europe, World Forum for 
Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. 
(e) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a final rule 
under subsection (a) not later than 36 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
(f) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 4 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall com-
plete a study and report to Congress as to whether there 
exists a safety need to apply the motor vehicle safety stand-
ard required by subsection (a) to conventional motor vehi-
cles. In the event that the Secretary determines there exists 
a safety need, the Secretary shall initiate rulemaking under 
section 30111 of title 49, United States Code to extend the 
standard to conventional motor vehicles. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of the motor vehicle 
safety standard required under this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘alert sound’’ means a vehicle-emit-
ted sound that enables pedestrians to discern vehicle 
presence, direction, location, and operation; 
(2) the term ‘‘cross-over speed’’ means the speed 
at which tire noise, wind resistance, or other factors 
eliminate the need for a separate alert sound, as de-
termined by the Secretary; 
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(3) the term ‘‘conventional motor vehicle’’ means 
a motor vehicle powered by a gasoline, diesel, or alter-
native fueled internal combustion engine as its sole 
means of propulsion; 
(4) the term ‘‘electric vehicle’’ means a motor ve-
hicle with an electric motor as its sole means of pro-
pulsion; and 
(5) the term ‘‘hybrid vehicle’’ means a motor ve-
hicle which has more than one means of propulsion. 
SEC. 111. DRIVER ALCOHOL DETECTION SYSTEM RE-
SEARCH. 
(a) RESEARCH.—The Secretary shall carry out a col-
laborative research effort to continue to explore the feasi-
bility and the potential benefits of, and the public policy 
challenges associated with, more widespread deployment of 
in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a re-
port annually to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate— 
(1) describing progress in carrying out the col-
laborative research effort; and 
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intent to influence, any communication to or appearance 
before any officer or employee of the National Highway 
Transportation Safety Administration on behalf of any 
manufacturer subject to regulation under this chapter in 
connection with any matter involving vehicle safety on 
which such person seeks official action by any officer or em-
ployee of the National Highway Transportation Safety Ad-
ministration. 
‘‘(b) NO EFFECT ON SECTION 207.—This section does 
not expand, contract, or otherwise affect the application of 
any waiver or criminal penalties under section 207 of title 
18, United States Code. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply to 
covered vehicle safety officials who terminate service or em-
ployment with the National Highway Transportation Safe-
ty Administration after the date of enactment of the Motor 
Vehicle Safety Act of 2010. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘covered 
vehicle safety official’ means any officer or employee of the 
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration 
who, within the final 12 months of his or her service or 
employment with the agency, serves or served in a technical 
or legal capacity, and whose job responsibilities include or 
included vehicle safety defect investigation, vehicle safety 
compliance, vehicle safety rulemaking, or vehicle safety re-
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