Interpretation ID: aiam1713
P. O. Box 830
Concord
NC
28025;
Dear Mr. Pruett: This is in response to your letter of November 13, 1974, in which yo request confirmation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's position concerning the testing of products which this agency regulates.; As I stated when I discussed this matter with you, NHTSA's concern i not with the testing procedure a manufacturer utilizes to ensure compliance, but rather that the product complies when NHTSA tests it. Therefore, as you point out, manufacturers should exercise due care that their products will meet the requirements of the standard when tested by NHTSA under the procedures specified in the standard. There is no need to ritualistically test each variant, such as color, of a product if the manufacturer has good reason to believe that the varying quality does not affect the safety performance in question.; Yours truly, Richard B. Dyson, Acting Chief Counsel