Interpretation ID: nht70-2.48

DATE: 03/11/70

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Francis Armstrong; NHTSA

TO: Kurt Meier

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in reply to your letter of January 13, 1970, to Mr. John. M. Will of this offices, partaining to the identification of shift lever position of customatic transmissions as required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102.

FMVSS No. 102 specifies that each shift lever position of automation transmission shall be identified and shall be permanently displayed in view of the driver. Your proposed shift lever position identification for future automatic tranmissions, as can be determined from your diagrammatical sketch, does not provide identification for the "neutral" position. Appropriate identification, whether it be the letter "N" or some other suitable designation, must be provided to satisfy the requirements of the safety standard.

It was noticed, from your setch, that the tranmission shift lever seque for the forward drive positions progresses from low to high gear from the neutral position. As background information for the National Highway Bureau's Compliance Test Program, we are interested in low you plan to certify a vehicle incorporating the proposed shift lever sequence for FMVSS 105 (Rydraulic Service Brake, Emergency Brake and Parking Brake Systems) during the 30, 60, and 80 m.p.h. Effectiveness Tests. Your response citing the above reference will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your interest in the safety program of the National Highway Safety Bureau.