Audi of America; Receipt of Petition for Temporary Exemption From FMVSS No. 111

Resumen

In accordance with the procedures in 49 CFR part 555, Audi of America ("Audi") has petitioned NHTSA for a temporary exemption of vehicles from the requirements in FMVSS No. 111 that passenger cars, MPVs, and light trucks be equipped with an outside mirror on the driver's side that meets certain field-of-view and mounting requirements. Instead of being equipped with FMVSS No. 111-compliant outside mirrors that would provide the required view to the rear, the vehicles, if exempted, would be equipped with a Camera Monitor System (CMS) that, according to Audi, provides the driver with a video- generated image on a monitor. Audi states that the video-generated image meets the standard's field-of-view requirements that apply to outside mirrors on the driver's side. Audi submitted its petition on the basis that an exemption is needed to facilitate the development and field evaluation of a new motor vehicle safety feature (the CMS) and that that feature provides a level of safety at least equal to the level of safety would be provided if the vehicle were equipped with FMVSS-compliant outside mirrors. NHTSA is publishing this document in accordance with statutory and administrative provisio