Notice2026-06507
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Novel Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Designs
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Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Abstract
NHTSA invites public comments about the agency's intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information request, titled "Novel Human- Machine Interface (HMI) Designs", for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval to conduct a one-time study.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 64 (Friday, April 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 64 (Friday, April 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17055-17058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06507]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0072]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Novel Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Designs
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on request for approval of a
new information collection.
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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about the agency's intention to
request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a
new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain
information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under
procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before
seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on
proposed collections of information, including extensions and
reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document
describes a collection of information request, titled ``Novel Human-
Machine Interface (HMI) Designs'', for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB
approval to conduct a one-time study.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2024-0072 through any of the following methods:
<bullet> Electronic Submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help
you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number for this notice. Note that all comments received will be
posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading
below.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of the Agency'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, etc.). You may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets via internet.
[[Page 17056]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Jeff Dressel, Office of Vehicle Safety
Research (NSR-310), 202-493-0492, National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, W46-439, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed
collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first publish a
document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies
concerning each proposed collection of information. The OMB has
promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a
document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must
ask for public comment on the following: (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) how to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA
asks for public comments on the following proposed collection of
information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
Title: Novel Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Designs.
OMB Control Number: New.
Form Number(s): NHTSA Forms 1814--Eligibility Questionnaire; 1815--
Informed consent; 1816--Vehicle Technology Questionnaire; and 1817--
Exit Questionnaire.
Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection request.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of
approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information: This information
collection request (ICR) is to request approval to conduct seven new
voluntary information collections as part of a one-time research study
of drivers' interactions with three commercially available vehicles
with different human machine interface (HMI) features/designs. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking to conduct the research
study involving up to 35 licensed drivers between the ages of 18 and 55
from the greater Phoenix, Arizona area. The information collections
will include (1) an eligibility questionnaire to be administered to up
to 100 potential research respondents; (2) an informed consent form to
be administered to up to 35 research participants; (3, 4, 5) study
drives with vehicles 1, 2, and 3; (6) a vehicle technology
questionnaire to be administered after each study drive; and (7) an
exit interview (including the time for a debrief).
Participants' naturalistic driving data will be collected in three
study-provided vehicles using GoPro cameras and a device to measure
where drivers are looking (eye tracker). Three vehicle makes and models
will be used to reflect a range of HMIs, and all participants will
drive each vehicle for approximately 20-minutes on a test route through
urban surface streets in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Before completing
the study drives, research participants will complete a 15-minute
introduction and informed consent procedure; and for each vehicle,
participants will complete a 15-minute eye tracker setup and
calibration, a 15-minute vehicle and task familiarization, and a
training briefing. After each 20-minute study drive, participants will
answer a 10-minute vehicle technology questionnaire. Finally,
participants will complete a 10-minute exit questionnaire and a 10-
minute final debriefing.
NHTSA will use the information collected from the research study to
produce a technical report that will provide summary figures and
tables, as well as the results of statistical analysis of the
information. No identifying information or individual responses will be
reported. The technical report will be shared across the Department of
Transportation, and members of the general public will have access to
the aggregated information when the final report is published. The
report may also be of interest to vehicle manufacturers and component
suppliers (e.g., developers of in-vehicle displays). This collection
will be used to assess gaps in the understanding of driver behavior and
performance with respect to new HMI features in current production
vehicles (e.g., fully digital instrument panel, large display screens,
virtual controls, infotainment systems, etc.).
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: Vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
(ADAS) and even higher levels of automation have the potential to
greatly decrease crashes and save lives. Technologies such as forward
collision warning systems, lane centering/keeping assist, adaptive
cruise control, lane departure warning systems, traffic jam assistance
systems, etc., are becoming increasingly common on even moderately
priced new vehicles. However, despite their overall potential safety
benefits, different implementations of these technologies may impact
driver performance differently. Therefore, a safety-critical element of
these advanced technologies is the human-machine interface or HMI,
which refers to vehicular displays that present information to a
driver, as well as those controls that facilitate a driver's control
over the operation of various vehicle subsystems--including ADAS and
driving automation systems.
Safe and efficient operation of any motor vehicle requires that an
HMI be designed in a manner that is consistent with driver
expectations. However, in-vehicle technology is an evolving and ever-
changing domain, and there have been a number of developments in this
domain since NHTSA's Human Factors Design Guidance for Driver-Vehicle
Interfaces \1\ were published. These developments include advances and
changes in (1) basic technological capabilities (e.g., full manual
control[rarr]driver assistance[rarr]vehicle automation), (2) status
indicators and telltales presented to drivers (e.g., head-up displays,
augmented reality displays, large displays in the center stack, in-
vehicle advertising/e-commerce) and (3) novel input devices (e.g.,
touch screens, speech input, gesture inputs).
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\1\ <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/812360_humanfactorsdesignguidance.pdf">https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/812360_humanfactorsdesignguidance.pdf</a>.
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Critically, these topics were either not considered at the time the
earlier guidelines were published, or they did not have sufficient
research to support the development of robust guidelines. In short,
these recently emerging technologies, novel HMI designs, and changes in
driver-vehicle interfaces impact driver information needs and control
inputs, indicating that there are many gaps between the guidance that
is available versus the guidance that may be valuable to NHTSA and
needed by industry. This data collection will directly support NHTSA's
efforts to
[[Page 17057]]
identify the implications of current HMIs on driver information needs,
behavior, and performance, and characterize gaps in a manner that will
aid NHTSA's efforts to support the deployment of safe technologies
through ongoing HMI research and development. If the proposed study is
not conducted, NHTSA will have unanswered questions regarding driver
behavior and performance implications of novel HMIs.
Affected Public: Individuals in the Phoenix, Arizona area between
the ages of 18 and 55.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The study anticipates screening
100 potential participants to obtain the target sample of 24 research
participants who meet study inclusion criteria and fully participate in
the study. While the goal is 24 final participants, the research team
will ensure eligibility and interest of 35 participants to account for
potential attrition. However, while NHTSA estimates that there will be
100 potential research participants screened and up to 35 participants
in the research study, NHTSA's burden estimates are based on the
average number of respondents to each information collection in each
year of the three-year project. Accordingly, NHTSA has estimated that,
on average, there will be 33 respondents to the eligibility
questionnaire (100 potential participants / 3 years) and 12 respondents
for each of the other information collections (35 research participants
/ 3 years) annually.
Frequency: This study is a one-time information collection.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 51 hours.
The annual estimated burden for the information collection is 51
hours. This is the aggregate of the estimated annual burden for seven
information collections that would be part of the one-time study. The
information collections includes: (1) an eligibility questionnaire to
be administered to up to 100 potential research respondents; (2) an
informed consent form to be administered to up to 35 research
participants; (3, 4, 5) study drives with vehicles 1, 2, and 3; (6) a
vehicle technology questionnaire after each study drive; and (7) an
exit interview (including the time for a debrief).
The study will begin with a screening process to identify eligible
participants. As stated above, the research team intends to identify 35
eligible participants to account for potential attrition and ensure
that the target sample of 24 participants is achieved. In order to
identify 35 eligible participants, NHTSA estimates that the research
team will need to contact up to 100 potential participants. These
potential respondents will be contacted via phone and will be asked to
answer eligibility questions. NHTSA estimates that the eligibility
screening questionnaire will take, on average, 15 minutes to complete
and that the total burden for eligibility screening will be 25 hours
(15 minutes x 100 respondents).
After the screening process, up to 35 eligible participants will be
given an appointment to arrive on-site at the testing facility. Each
respondent will begin with a consenting process, which is completed on-
site at the testing facility at the beginning of the study session.
This consenting process includes an overview of the study and an
explanation of the informed consent form. This consenting process is
expected to take 15 minutes. Therefore, NHTSA estimates the total
burden for obtaining informed consent to be 8.75 hours (15 minutes x 35
research participants).
Once participants have signed their consent forms, they will be
brought outside to the front seat of the first testing vehicle and
instructed to adjust the seat to their liking and fasten their
seatbelt. The experimenter will provide general safety instructions for
the study. The respondent will be reminded that the primary task during
the study is to drive safely while operating the vehicle and that they,
as the driver, are always ultimately in control of the vehicle,
regardless of whether they are just driving or completing a task. The
respondent will also be reminded to obey the rules of the road and wear
their seatbelt at all times while operating the vehicle. The respondent
will be given a brief introduction to the operation of the first
vehicle, the location of the various controls, and will be instructed
on the set of tasks they will perform. They will then be asked to
practice each of the tasks one at a time while the vehicle is
stationary. The head-mounted eye-tracking system will then be fitted
and calibrated inside the testing vehicle. While stationary, the
respondent will review a map of the route (public streets in Phoenix)
they will be driving. In addition, the respondent will have an
opportunity to practice and establish a comfort level with driving the
vehicle and wearing the eye-tracking system prior to data collection
during the on-road drive. Once comfortable with the vehicle, the
experimenter will direct the respondent out of the Exponent facility
and onto public roads to begin the drive. Throughout the drive, the
respondent will complete each of the tasks one at a time when prompted
by the experimenter. NHTSA estimates that it will take approximately 50
minutes for the vehicle and task familiarization and training
(approximately 15 minutes), the eye tracker setup and calibration
(approximately 15 minutes), and the 20-minuted planned drive.
Therefore, NHTSA estimates that the total burden for the study drive in
vehicle 1 to be 30 hours (50 minutes x 35 research participants).
After completing a full drive of the pre-determined route in the
first test vehicle, the respondent will return to the start location
and complete the vehicle technology questionnaire based on the vehicle
they just drove. NHTSA estimates that completing the vehicle technology
questionnaire will take approximately ten minutes, for a total burden
of six hours (10 minutes x 35 research participants).
Each research participant will then complete the study drive for
vehicle 2, including vehicle and task familiarization and training
(approximately 15 minutes), the eye tracker setup and calibration
(approximately 15 minutes), and the 20-minuted planned drive. As with
vehicle 1, NHTSA estimates that this will take each respondent
approximately 50 minutes, for a total burden of 30 hours. And as with
vehicle 1, each participant will also complete the vehicle technology
questionnaire after study drive 2, which is estimated to take each
participant approximately 10 minutes. The process is then repeated
again for vehicle 3.
At the end, participants will complete an exit questionnaire
(estimated to take approximately 10 minutes per participant) and a
final debriefing (estimated to take approximately 10 minutes per
participant). The total burden for the exit questionnaire and final
debriefing is estimated to be 12 hours (20 minutes x 35 respondents).
The total burden for the entire study (including screening, consenting,
study drives, and questionnaires) is estimated to be 152 hours. The
details are presented in Table 1 below.
[[Page 17058]]
Table 1--Total Study Burden Hours
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Time per Total
Form No. Information collection Number of response Frequency of burden
respondents (minutes) response hours
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1814....................... Eligibility Questionnaire..... 100 15 1 25
1815....................... Informed Consent.............. 35 15 1 8.75
N/A........................ Study Drives: (Eye Tracker 35 50 3 87.51
Setup & Calibration, Vehicle
Familiarization//Training,
Planned Drive).
1816....................... Vehicle Technology 35 10 3 17.49
Questionnaire.
1817....................... Exit Questionnaire (including 35 20 1 11.67
time for debriefing).
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Total...................... ........... .......... .............. 152
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As explained above, because this information collection request is
for a three-year approval, NHTSA has estimated the annual burden
associated with each information collection by averaging the burden
across the three-year period for which NHTSA is seeking approval. NHTSA
has estimated annual burden hours by first dividing the total number of
respondents per information collection by three and then rounding to
the nearest whole number. Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the burden for
the eligibility questionnaire based on an average of 33 respondents
completing the questionnaire each year (100 potential respondents / 3
years = 33.33 respondents). For the remaining eight information
collections, NHTSA estimates that there are, on average, 12 research
participants per year (35 research participants / 3 years). Based on
the estimates of 33 annual respondents for eligibility questionnaire
and 12 annual respondents to each of the other information collection,
NHTSA has estimated that the total annual burden hours for the
collections is 51 hours.
To calculate the opportunity cost to participants in this study,
NHTSA used the average (mean) hourly earnings from employers in all
industry sectors in the State of Arizona, which the Bureau of Labor
Statistics lists at $30.31 per hour.\2\ NHTSA estimates that the annual
opportunity cost is approximately $2,019.55. Table 2 provides estimates
for the total annual burden hours and opportunity costs.
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\2\ US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, May
2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Arizona:
<a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm#00-0000">https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm#00-0000</a>.
Table 2--Annual Burden Estimates
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Time per Opportunity Total Total
Form No. Information Number of response cost per Frequency burden opportunity
collection respondents (minutes) response \3\ of response hours costs \4\
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1814.......... Eligibility 33 15 $7.58 1 8 $250.14
Questionnaire.
1815.......... Informed Consent 12 15 7.58 1 3 90.96
N/A........... Study Drives.... 12 50 25.26 3 30 909.36
(Eye Tracker
Setup &
Calibration,
Vehicle
Familiarization/
Training,
Planned Drive).
1816.......... Vehicle 12 10 5.05 3 6 181.80
Technology
Questionnaire.
1817.......... Exit 12 20 10.10 1 4 121.24
Questionnaire
(including time
for debriefing).
Annual Estimates ............ .......... ............ ............ 51 1553.50
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $504.
Participation in this study is voluntary, and there are no costs to
respondents beyond the time spent completing the questionnaires and
travel costs for the visits to the study facility. The travel costs are
minimal and expected to be offset by the compensation that will be
provided to the research participants. NHTSA estimates that each of the
recruited participants will travel less than 30 miles one-way to the
research location (60 miles round trip). Using the IRS standard mileage
rate of $0.70 per mile,\5\ each respondent is expected to incur no more
than $42 in transportation costs. Therefore, NHTSA estimates that the
total costs to all respondents will be no more than $1,470 ($42 x 35
participants), or approximately $504 per year ($42 x 12 respondents per
year).
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\5\ From Internal Revenue Service's 2025 standard mileage rates
for self-employed and business. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates">https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates</a>, last accessed December 16,
2025.
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Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.
Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2026-06507 Filed 4-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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