Interpretation ID: aiam4198
Chairman & Techncial (sic) Director
Combustion and Fuel Research
Inc.
847-9 South Wagner Road
Ann Arbor
MI 48103;
Dear Mr. Hilliard: Thank you for your letter of July 1, 1986, asking how our regulation would affect the placement of the steering wheel on delivery vehicles. You asked whether there are any State or Federal regulations which would prevent the installation of a right hand drive steering wheel. As discussed below, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not issued any safety standards that would prohibit the installation of a right hand drive steering wheel. As to State laws, I suggest you check with the Department of Transportation in the States where your client wants to use the vehicles.; Some background information about our agency and its standards may b of assistance to you. NHTSA has the authority to issue safety standards applicable to new motor vehicles and certain items of motor vehicle equipment. NHTSA, however, does not approve motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment, nor do we endorse any commercial products. Instead, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act establishes a 'self-certification' process under which each manufacturer is responsible for certifying that its products meet our safety standards. The agency periodically tests vehicles and equipment items for compliance with the standards, and also investigates alleged safety-related defects.; We do not have any standards that prohibit the use of a right han drive steering system. We have, however, issued two safety standards (Standard Nos. 203 and 204) that set performance requirements which apply to any steering system, whether left or right hand drive, installed in new passenger cars and light trucks, buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles. A copy of each of these standards is enclosed.; If you have any further questions, please let me know. Sincerely, Erika Z. Jones, Chief Counsel