Interpretation ID: aiam0057
Chief Engineer - Special Duties
Joseph Lucas Limited
Great King Street
Birmingham 19
England;
Dear Mr. Prickett: Thank you for your letter of March 1, 1968, to the Deputy Director National Highway Safety Bureau, concerning your interpretation of certain requirements of Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.; The installation requirements contained in the SAE Standards that ar referenced in Standard No. 108 are enforceable requirements unless specifically exempted by Standard No. 108. With respect to the installation of license plate lamps, Standard No. 108 provides an exception to the 'Installation Recommendations' contained in SAE Standard J587b, in that Standard No. 108 requires a location 'at rear license plate.' This exception permits installation of the lamp at the top, sides or bottom of the license plate, instead of top and sides only as specified by SAE installation recommendations.; With two exceptions, the lighting devices required by Standard No. 10 must use bulbs conforming to SAE Standard J573b and bulb sockets conforming to either SAE Standard J567b or SAE Standard J822. The two exceptions are (1) motorcycle headlamps conforming to SAE Standard J584, and (2) disposable (throw-away) type lamp assemblies (other than sealed-beam headlamps) that do not use sockets. Sealed-beam headlamps must conform to SAE Standards J579a and J580a which, in turn, require sealed units conforming to SAE Standard J573b, but do not require sockets conforming to SAE Standards J567b or J822. The disposable type lamps((2) above) are excepted from the requirements of SAE Standard J567b since they are equipped with non-replaceable bulbs and electrical connectors rather than sockets. It is to be noted that Standard No. 108 is not applicable to motorcycles until January 1, 1969.; Sincerely, David A. Fay, Office of Standards on Accident Avoidance Motor Vehicle Safety Performance Service;