New Car Assessment Program; Extension of Comment Period

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2026-1156]

RIN 2127-ZA28

New Car Assessment Program; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

In response to a request from Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators), NHTSA is announcing a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the Request for Comment (RFC) notice published on May 28, 2026 proposing updates to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) by adding rear automatic braking (RAB) systems with pedestrian avoidance ability to the advanced driver assistance systems technologies NHTSA currently recommends. The comment period for the RFC was originally scheduled to end on July 27, 2026. It will now end on August 26, 2026.

DATES:

The comment period for the NCAP RFC published on May 28, 2026 is extended to August 26, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments to the docket number identified in the heading of this document by one of the following methods:

•

Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

•

Mail:

Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W58-213, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

•

Hand Delivery:

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W58-213, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9826 or (202) 366-9317 before coming.

Instructions:

For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public Participation heading of the

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

section of this document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to

http://www.regulations.gov,

including any personal information provided.

Docket:

For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to

www.regulations.gov,

or the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets.

Privacy Act:

Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received in any of NHTSA's dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, or other entity). For information on DOT's compliance with the Privacy Act, see

https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For technical issues, you may contact Ian MacIntire, Office of Crashworthiness Standards by email at

ian.macintire@dot.gov,

or by phone at 202-366-1810. Address: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On May 28, 2026, NHTSA published an RFC notice on a proposal to update NHTSA's NCAP by adding RAB systems with pedestrian avoidance ability to the advanced driver assistance systems technologies NHTSA currently recommends.

1

NHTSA proposed to identify and evaluate vehicles in the marketplace that offer systems that pass NCAP performance requirements for RAB. NHTSA sought comment on its proposal to include RAB in NCAP, including the proposed test procedures and performance criteria. The RFC notice provided a 60-day comment period which closes on July 27, 2026.

1

91 FR 31834.

On May 29, 2026, NHTSA received a request from Auto Innovators for a 30-day extension of the comment period.

2

Auto Innovators stated that, at the time of its request, the supporting materials referenced in the notice were not available, and that access to these materials is essential to understanding the full scope of the proposal. Auto Innovators stated that a 30-day extension of the comment period would ensure stakeholders have adequate time to review the complete docket and offer substantive and high-quality feedback for the Agency to advance a well-informed update to NCAP.

2

NHTSA-2026-1156-0003.

NHTSA is granting the request to extend the comment period by 30 days. NHTSA has determined that the requestors have shown good cause for an extension and that the extension is consistent with the public interest. A 30-day extension appropriately balances NHTSA's interest in providing the public with sufficient time to comment on the RFC notice and the associated test procedure, with its interest in obtaining specific feedback from stakeholders in a timely manner. Accordingly, NHTSA is extending the comment period until August 26, 2026.

3

3

Readers should note that, even after the comment closing date has passed, interested persons are able to file comments in the docket, which NHTSA will consider to the extent practicable. 49 CFR 553.23. NHTSA may also continue to file relevant information in the docket as it becomes available. Accordingly, the Agency recommends that readers periodically check the docket for new material.

Authority:

49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95.

Jonathan Morrison,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 2026-14866 Filed 7-22-26; 8:45 am]

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