NHTSA won’t appeal tire pressure decision

Sept. 10, 2003 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will not appeal an August court decision that overthrew the rule governing tire pressure monitoring systems, according to an agency spokesman.

Instead, the agency will proceed with a new rulemaking process. Yesterday it began sending letters to auto makers and suppliers asking for detailed information about their phase-in plans and the technologies they are using. The companies’ responses will be used in making a new rule. The deadline for a response is Oct. 17.

The original rule required auto makers to install tire monitors that could, at minimum, detect if one tire is significantly underinflated, a standard that can be achieved with “indirect” monitors that piggyback on a car’s antilock braking system. However, the August court decision said such a standard did not meet the requirements of the TREAD Act, which the court said required a system that could determine if multiple tires deflate simultaneously. Currently, only “direct” monitors that use MEMS pressure sensors can do so.

– David Forman

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