IB 
Union Calendar No. 307 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5381 
[Report No. 111–536] 
To require motor vehicle safety standards relating to vehicle electronics and 
to reauthorize and provide greater transparency, accountability, and safe-
ty authority to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2010 
Mr. WAXMAN (for himself, Mr. RUSH, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. STUPAK, and Mr. 
BRALEY of Iowa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
JULY 14, 2010 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 25, 2010] 
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A BILL 
To require motor vehicle safety standards relating to vehicle 
electronics and to reauthorize and provide greater trans-
parency, accountability, and safety authority to the Na-
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—VEHICLE ELECTRONICS AND SAFETY STANDARDS 
Sec. 101. Electronics and Engineering Expertise. 
Sec. 102. Brake override standard. 
Sec. 103. Accelerator control systems. 
Sec. 104. Pedal placement standard. 
Sec. 105. Electronic systems performance standard. 
Sec. 106. Push-button ignition systems standard. 
Sec. 107. Transmission configuration standard. 
Sec. 108. Vehicle event data recorders. 
Sec. 109. Commercial motor vehicle rollover prevention and crash mitigation. 
Sec. 110. Minimum sound requirement. 
Sec. 111. Driver alcohol detection system research. 
TITLE II—TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY 
Sec. 201. Public availability of early warning data. 
Sec. 202. Improved NHTSA vehicle safety database. 
Sec. 203. Promotion of vehicle defect reporting. 
Sec. 204. NHTSA hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic personnel. 
Sec. 205. Corporate responsibility for NHTSA reports. 
Sec. 206. Appeal of defect petition rejection. 
Sec. 207. Deadlines for rulemaking. 
Sec. 208. Reports to Congress. 
Sec. 209. Restriction on Covered Vehicle Safety Officials. 
TITLE III—FUNDING 
Sec. 301. Vehicle safety user fee. 
Sec. 302. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE IV—ENHANCED SAFETY AUTHORITIES 
Sec. 401. Civil penalties. 
Sec. 402. Imminent hazard authority. 
TITLE V—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 501. Preemption of State law. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
As used in this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) The term ‘‘passenger motor vehicle’’ means a 
motor vehicle (as defined in section 30102(a)(6) of 
title 49, United States Code) that is rated at less than 
10,000 pounds gross vehicular weight. Such term does 
not include— 
(A) a motorcycle; 
(B) a trailer; or 
(C) a low speed vehicle (as defined in sec-
tion 571.3 in title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
tions). 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of 
Transportation, acting through the Administrator of 
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
TITLE I—VEHICLE ELECTRONICS 
AND SAFETY STANDARDS 
SEC. 101. ELECTRONICS AND ENGINEERING EXPERTISE. 
(a) CENTER FOR VEHICLE ELECTRONICS AND EMERG-
ING TECHNOLOGIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish, 
within the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-
istration, a Center for Vehicle Electronics and Emerg-
ing Technologies. The Center shall— 
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(A) build, integrate, and aggregate the 
agency’s expertise in vehicle electronics and other 
new and emerging technologies; 
(B) coordinate with all components of the 
agency responsible for vehicle safety, including 
research and development, rulemaking, and de-
fects investigation; and 
(C) conduct research into the use of light-
weight materials in vehicles, including through 
the implementation of the Plastic and Composite 
Intensive Vehicle Safety Roadmap (Report No. 
DOT HS 810 863). 
(2) LIMITATION.—Not more than 20 percent of 
the funds spent by the Center in a given year may 
be spent for the purposes described in paragraph 
(1)(C). 
(b) HONORS RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish, within the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-
ministration, an honors program for engineering stu-
dents and other students interested in vehicle safety 
that will enable them to train with engineers and 
other safety officials for a career in vehicle safety. The 
Secretary is authorized to provide a stipend to stu-
dents during their participation in the program. 
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(2) TARGETED STUDENT.—The Secretary shall 
develop a plan to target and make an aggressive out-
reach to recruit the top 10 percent of science, tech-
nology, engineering and mathematics students attend-
ing— 
(A) 1890 Land Grant Institutions (as de-
fined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
U.S.C. 7061)); 
(B) Predominantly Black Institutions (as 
defined in section 318 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059e)); 
(C) Tribal Colleges or Universities (as de-
fined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))); and 
(D) Hispanic Serving Institutions (as de-
fined in section 318 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 059e)). 
SEC. 102. BRAKE OVERRIDE STANDARD. 
(a) UNINTENDED
ACCELERATION.—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 that would mitigate 
unintended acceleration in passenger motor vehicles. The 
standard— 
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(1) shall establish performance requirements that 
enable a driver to bring a passenger motor vehicle 
safely to a full stop by normal braking application 
even if the vehicle is simultaneously receiving accel-
erator input signals; 
(2) may permit compliance with such require-
ments through a smart pedal system that requires 
brake pedal application, after a period of time deter-
mined by the Secretary, to override an accelerator 
input signal in order to stop the vehicle; and 
(3) may permit vehicles to incorporate a means 
by which the driver would be able to temporarily dis-
engage the technology or mechanism required under 
paragraph (1) to facilitate operations, such as ma-
neuvering trailers, or other operating conditions, that 
may require the simultaneous operation of the service 
brake and accelerator pedal. 
(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. 103. ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall initiate a rule-
making proceeding to amend Federal motor vehicle safety 
standard 124 to require that at least 1 redundant circuit 
or other mechanism be built into accelerator control sys-
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tems, including systems controlled by electronic throttle, to 
maintain vehicle control in the event of failure or malfunc-
tion in the accelerator control system. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a final rule 
under subsection (a) within 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(c) COMBINED.—If the Secretary considers it appro-
priate, the Secretary may combine the rulemaking pro-
ceeding required by subsection (a) with the rulemaking pro-
ceeding required by section 102. 
SEC. 104. PEDAL PLACEMENT STANDARD. 
(a) CONSIDERATION OF RULE.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding pursuant to 
section 30111 of title 49, United States Code, to consider 
prescribing or amending Federal motor vehicle safety stand-
ards to prevent the potential obstruction of pedal movement 
in passenger motor vehicles by establishing minimum clear-
ances for passenger motor vehicle foot pedals with respect 
to other pedals and the vehicle floor (including aftermarket 
floor coverings), taking into account various pedal mount-
ing configurations. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR DECISION.—If the Secretary deter-
mines such safety standards are reasonable, practicable, 
and appropriate, the Secretary shall prescribe the safety 
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standards described in subsection (a) not later than 4 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act. If the Secretary de-
termines that no additional safety standards are reasonable, 
practicable, and appropriate the Secretary shall transmit 
a report to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate describing the 
reasons such standards were not prescribed. 
SEC. 105. ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE STAND-
ARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a rule-
making proceeding pursuant to section 30111 of title 49, 
United States Code, to consider requiring electronic systems 
in passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum standards for 
performance. The Secretary shall consider the findings and 
recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences pur-
suant to its study of electronic vehicle controls and unin-
tended acceleration. The standard may include require-
ments for electronic components, the interaction of those 
electronic components, or the effect of surrounding environ-
ments on those electronic systems. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR DECISION.—If the Secretary deter-
mines such safety standards are reasonable, practicable, 
and appropriate, the Secretary shall prescribe the safety 
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standards described in subsection (a) not later than 4 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act. If the Secretary de-
termines that no additional safety standards are reasonable, 
practicable, and appropriate the Secretary shall transmit 
a report to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate describing the 
reasons such standards were not prescribed. 
SEC. 106. PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SYSTEMS STANDARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall initiate a rule-
making proceeding pursuant to section 30111 of title 49, 
United States Code, to prescribe or amend a Federal motor 
vehicle safety standard for passenger motor vehicles 
equipped with push-button ignition systems, to establish the 
standard operation and function of such systems when used 
by drivers, including drivers unfamiliar with the vehicle, 
in an emergency situation when the vehicle is in motion. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a final rule 
under subsection (a) within 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 107. TRANSMISSION CONFIGURATION STANDARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall initiate a rule-
making proceeding pursuant to section 30111 of title 49, 
United States Code, to revise Federal motor vehicle safety 
standard 102, to improve the recognition of the gear selector 
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