Interpretation ID: aiam0865
K-146 Northwood Apartments
Capital Hill Drive
RFD-2
Londonderry
NH 03053;
Dear Mr. Stapley: This is in reply to your letter of September 9, 1972, proposing 'tha legal standards for the performance of windshield defrosting systems be established and applied to vehicles manufactured in or imported into USA.'; The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened Docke No. 1-3 to receive comments on extension of coverage of the passenger car defrosting and defogging system standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, to multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses. Ice or slush buildup on the windshield, as well as the overall performance of the defroster system, are among the problems and concerns currently being investigated by the NHTSA.; We plan to combine all the problems associated with vision an precipitation into an Adverse Weather Visibility standard such as you suggest in your letter. This would also include wiping and washing requirements. At the present time research has been initiated to obtain data so that we can propose definite performance requirements for all types of weather conditions. Under our Program Plan such a standard would become effective September 1, 1976.; Your suggestion and the mention of the specific problems ar appreciated and will be considered as we proceed in our rulemaking. Thank you for writing and if we can be of further service, please let us know.; Sincerely, E. T. Driver, Director, Office of Operating Systems, Moto Vehicle Programs;