Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Assessment of Contextual Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS)

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Published

June 10, 2026

Issuing agencies

Transportation DepartmentNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Abstract

NHTSA invites public comments about our 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 for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on Assessment of Contextual Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS).

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 111 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35296-35301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11556]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2019-0146]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Assessment of Contextual Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS)

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a request for approval of a
new information collection.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about our 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 for which NHTSA intends to seek
OMB approval on Assessment of Contextual Driver Monitoring Systems
(DMS).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 10, 2026.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket No. NHTSA-2019-
0146 through any of the following methods:
<bullet> Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://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 our 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Jeffrey Dressel Office of Vehicle
Safety Research, Human Factors/Engineering Integration Division NSR-
310, West Building, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e68c83808094839fc88294839595838aa6828992c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="442e21222236213d6a2036213737212804202b306a232b32">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, 202-366-7409.

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: Assessment of Contextual Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS).
OMB Control Number: New.
Form Number(s): There are multiple forms for this new information
collection including
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2235--Advertisement
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2243--Eligibility Questionnaire & Availability
Form
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2249--Scheduling Form
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2236--Appointment Reminder Form
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2246--Informed Consent Document
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2238--Demographics Questionnaire
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2251--Simulator Sickness Questionnaire
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2239--Acceptance Questionnaire 1
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2240--Acceptance Questionnaire 2
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2241--Acceptance Questionnaire 3
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2242--Acceptance Questionnaire 4
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2237--Debrief & Honorarium Confirmation Form
Type of Request: New information collection.

[[Page 35297]]

Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of
approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information: The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new information
collection consisting of a single, one-time experimental research study
that involves voluntary participation from members of the public. The
purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a prototype
contextual DMS, which fuses data gathered from driver attention (e.g.,
gaze location), physiological state (e.g., heart rate variability),
vehicle kinematics (e.g., lateral lane position) and environmental
sensors (e.g., time to collision). The research goals are to examine
the efficacy of a contextual DMS with respect to safety-critical events
and assess driver response and acceptance. Data collection will occur
as needed, and results will be shared with NHTSA for eventual
publication in the National Transportation Library for public access.
The final report will include a literature review and a supplementary
report documenting the down-selection process of candidate DMS systems
and scenarios. This information collection is for reporting purposes.
This information collection will be a one-time effort to recruit 48
participants from the public to address NHTSA's research questions on
the effectiveness of a contextual DMS. Recruitment will occur via
Westat's internal participant database and social media posts, with sex
and age balanced among experimental groups. No specific experience is
required to participate, but generally, participants must be at least
18 years old, possess a valid driver's license, and drive at least 3000
miles per year. Participation is voluntary and individuals may withdraw
at any time. This research will require Westat's institutional review
board (IRB) approval.
Participant attrition is acknowledged, and specific measures are
being taken to ensure the target sample size is achieved. Participants
will complete a series of four drives in a driving simulator using
either a contextual or conventional DMS. The conventional DMS will
consist of either a research or production-grade DMS model that uses
standard practices at classifying driver distraction (e.g., gaze
direction, head pose). The contextual DMS will retain all the
capabilities of the conventional DMS but will also factor in driver
physiological state (e.g., heart rate variability), vehicle handling
(i.e., kinematics), and driver interactions with the driving
environment (e.g., extended glances towards hazards). While completing
the driving scenarios, participants will perform a secondary task in
which they recite number strings displayed on an adjacent tablet,
mimicking distraction from a smartphone or infotainment system, in
order to assess the performance of the DMS during distracting events.
Each of the four drives will be approximately ten minutes in length
to allow for sufficient data collection. All drives will consist of
typical highway driving environments and speeds. The first three drives
will have one of three safety-relevant events (i.e., events that could
cause a crash) occur at randomized drive portions. The last drive will
consist of a safety-critical scenario that requires drivers to perform
an action (e.g., brake) to avoid a collision, such as a covered-to-
revealed road obstruction. The first three drives will be
counterbalanced to control for order effects, however due to the
potential for significant behavioral changes, the safety-critical
scenario will always occur last.
Eligibility screening will be completed through an online
questionnaire (NHTSA Form 2243--Eligibility Questionnaire &
Availability Form) hosted by Qualtrics, a secure online survey
administration platform. Form display and branching logic will ensure
respondents see the minimal number of questions required to determine
eligibility by ending the questionnaire early if criteria are not met
at different points in time. The components include (1) a PRA statement
informing participants about the rules governing federally funded
research; (2) consent for the eligibility questionnaire and study
introduction and description to inform participants about the study and
specific data to be collected; (3) eligibility questionnaire to
identify participants based on predefined criteria; and (4) contact
information for scheduling purposes.
The landing page of the questionnaire will contain a forced
response question asking if the respondent is above 18 years old, then
(if yes) branching logic will display the consent text that contains
the elements necessary for eligibility consent. Participants will
provide consent to the online questionnaire when they answer ``yes'' to
both the consent and study interest questions. These questions will be
set to force response. Respondents who are less than 18 years old, or
those who do not give consent to provide responses to the online
eligibility questionnaire, or who are not interested in the study will
be directed to a message informing them they are not eligible and
thanking them for their time. Everyone else will be directed to
complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire will ask potential
participants about their ability to adhere to study requirements,
driving qualifications, and general health history.
If criteria are not met, participants will be directed to a message
thanking them for their time and telling them they are not eligible. If
criteria are met, participants will be asked to provide their contact
information and general availability. They will be informed this would
link their questionnaire responses to their name. If a participant
meets study criteria, a researcher will schedule the study session
using participant information provided in the eligibility questionnaire
and confirmed by a scheduling phone call, where the participant's name,
study date and time is recorded as part of recruitment record keeping
(NHTSA Form 2249--Scheduling Form), until all slots have been filled.
Approximately 24 hours before the participant's study session, NHTSA
Form 2236--Appointment Reminder Form will be sent (via email) along
with a copy of the informed consent document for their records. This
email will also serve to remind participants to abstain from alcohol
and recreational substance use (including marijuana) 24 hours before
their study session. The email also requests that participants verify
they have no current symptoms of illness, do not feel unwell, that they
have experienced no changes to their health or mobility since
completion of the eligibility questionnaire and to respond to the email
confirming their attendance, which will be recorded by researchers as
part of recruitment recordkeeping. Note that recruitment record keeping
will be kept separate from any data collected during the study to
maintain confidentiality.
Participants will be quasi-randomly assigned to complete four
simulated driving scenarios using either a conventional or contextual
DMS. Researchers will attempt to balance age and sex across groups. All
data will be anonymized such that any data linking study data to
participant eligibility criteria will be kept separate and secured on
Westat systems that are only accessible by the research team. Only
participants who complete the study will have their data retained for
three years per OMB data storage requirements. All other data will be
destroyed after the project period of performance.
Upon arrival at the study location, participants will be greeted
and led to

[[Page 35298]]

a private room where data collection will occur. Researchers will
review the participant's driver's license to ensure validity, age and
sex for participation eligibility and condition balancing. Participants
will then complete NHTSA Form 2246--Informed Consent Document, which
will be presented physically for both the participant and researcher to
sign. If individuals agree to participate, they will then proceed with
the Intake Procedures, completing the NHTSA Form 2238--Demographic
Questionnaire on a tablet using Qualtrics. If participants decline to
participate, they will be thanked for their interest and escorted out.
The second component of the Intake Procedures consists of driving
simulator training to determine if participants can complete study
procedures (i.e., no simulator sickness). Participants will be directed
to the driving simulator, where a researcher will describe how to
operate the driving simulator, and give an overview of the DMS
functions and alerts. Participants will receive the same explanation
for the DMS functionality regardless of DMS type to enable group
comparisons across self-report measures. Next, participants will
receive an explanation of the secondary task, called the Numbers Task,
which will be displayed on a tablet next to the driving simulator
designed to replicate smartphone or infotainment center distraction.
Researchers will inform participants that their recitations will be
scored for accuracy to encourage consistent engagement with the
secondary task while driving. Once all procedures have been explained,
participants will be instrumented with a physiological sensor suite to
capture participant heart rate variability and electrodermal activity.
These sensors do not interfere with participant dexterity or mobility.
After the sensors have been secured, participants will complete a
5-minute practice drive to familiarize themselves with vehicle control
and secondary tasks. This drive will be similar to the study driving
scenarios, including highway setting and speed (e.g., > 45 mph).
However, no safety events will occur during the practice drive.
Participants can request as many practice drives as needed to feel
comfortable with the driving simulator. Participants will then complete
NHTSA Form 2251--Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) to assess any
symptoms that developed during the practice drive. If participants are
feeling unwell, they will be provided with bottled water and a place to
rest until symptoms have passed. The SSQ will be administered to
participants following each study drive to continuously monitor
participant wellbeing. Participants may stop driving at any point
during practice or study drives.
Participants will then complete a series of four driving scenarios,
all of which consist of standard highway driving and will take ten
minutes to complete as part of Data Collection Activities. These drives
are 10-minutes long to ensure adequate distraction data is captured
from both DMS. The first three scenarios will not contain a safety-
critical scenario due to potential behavioral changes resulting from
the near crash and will be counterbalanced to control for order
effects. The safety-critical scenario will occur in the final drive
(e.g., a covered-to-revealed road obstruction). No other vehicle
maneuvers will prevent a crash from occurring. The secondary task will
be coordinated with the safety-critical event such that participants
will be engaged in the task immediately preceding the safety-critical
event to ensure consistency in assessment of the DMS. After each drive,
participants will complete NHTSA Form 2239--Acceptance Questionnaire 1,
which consists of survey questions focused on the usefulness,
annoyance, predictability, timing, and perceived accuracy of the DMS.
After all drives have been completed, participants will complete NHTSA
Form 2240--Acceptance Questionnaire 2, which asks two questions about
the participant's comfort level with being monitored by the DMS and
their preference for having such a system in their vehicle (i.e., their
acceptance of the DMS). This questionnaire is administered once after
all drives to ensure that participants have sufficient exposure to the
system, providing more consistent and well-informed feedback regarding
their experiences .
Next, participants proceed to System Comparison Activities. To help
participants understand the differences between the two DMS types, they
will watch four videos, one for each driving scenario, accompanied by
explanations highlighting how the systems differ. The DMS will be
labeled as System A (conventional DMS) and System B (contextual DMS) to
avoid biasing participants. As the contextual DMS is a prototype of a
new technology, it is critical to examine how a deeper understanding
with its functionality influences participant opinions. After each set
of videos (a total of four), participants will complete NHTSA Form
2241--Acceptance Questionnaire 3. The questionnaire will ask
participants to rate the systems side-by-side on factors of usefulness,
annoyance, predictability, timing, and perception of system accuracy of
the system's distraction detection for a total of four repetitions.
Participants will watch the videos in the order they experienced the
driving scenario. However, the presentation of System A and System B
videos will be counterbalanced across drives to control order effects.
After all sets of videos have been watched, participants will complete
a final survey (NHTSA Form 2242--Acceptance Questionnaire 4) to assess
their comfort with DMS monitoring and their acceptance of the two DMS.
They will be asked to indicate their system preference, if they have
one.
Once the study is completed, participants will complete NHTSA Form
2237--Debrief & Honorarium Confirmation Form where researchers will
discuss the purpose of the study and answer any remaining questions. As
part of this process, participants will complete a document
acknowledging receipt of the honorarium. Participants will receive $120
for completing the study, which is anticipated to last approximately
two hours.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and
reduce the economic costs of road traffic crashes through education,
research, safety standards, and enforcement activity. As vehicle
technologies advance, they have the potential to dramatically reduce
the loss of life from roadway crashes. Alternatively, the systems may
not reach this potential or could potentially decrease safety when
drivers do not understand how to safely interact with the systems or do
not understand the capabilities and limitations. This new information
request is for a driving simulator study designed to assess a new type
of driver monitoring system that uses external sensor data to identify
potential hazards, determine driver distraction based on whether they
observed the hazard and modify countermeasures based on this joint
understanding of driver distraction and the driving environment. The
following components will be used to obtain the necessary information
to achieve this purpose.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2235--Advertisement--This form is necessary to
recruit potential participants. This document's content will be
published on Westat's intranet and social media channels, as well as
distributed via email to a database of former participants expressing
interest in future research. Participants who are interested

[[Page 35299]]

in participating will be redirected to NHTSA Form 2243--Eligibility
Questionnaire & Availability Form to determine eligibility.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2243--Eligibility Questionnaire & Availability
Form--Determining participant eligibility is critical both for
completing the study objectives as well as the health and wellbeing of
participants. This process will involve online screening and diverse
outreach efforts, such as social media advertisements and intranet
postings, to assemble a representative participant pool. At the end of
the eligibility questionnaire, participants will also provide their
contact information, days of the week and session times they are
available to participate so researchers may contact them to schedule
their study session.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2249--Scheduling Form--The next step in the
enrollment process involves calling eligible individuals to schedule
their appointment.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2236--Appointment Reminder Form--Sending a
reminder email 24 hours before scheduled sessions is a critical step to
ensure smooth coordination and minimize participant no-shows.
Participants will be asked to confirm their intention to attend their
session, which will be noted by researchers. This form will include
essential information such as the session time, location, materials to
bring, and instructions to confirm their attendance. In addition, the
email provides an opportunity for participants to ask any last-minute
questions or inform the research team of scheduling conflicts. This
step is designed to reinforce participant preparedness, reduce
logistical issues, and enhance overall study efficiency.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2246--Informed Consent Document--Obtaining
informed consent upon arrival is an essential step to ensure compliance
with ethical research standards.
<bullet> Intake Procedures--The purpose of the intake procedures is
to collect important demographic information from participants for
reporting purposes. Afterward, participants under driving simulator
training to learn how to operate the driving simulator, respond to the
secondary task, and to ensure that participants can complete the study
drives without experiencing motion sickness.
[cir] NHTSA Form 2238--Demographics Questionnaire--Collecting
participant demographics is an integral part of communicating sample
characteristics and ensuring representativeness and generalizability.
Participants will complete an online survey that focuses on only the
most important demographic characteristics needed to describe the
sample, including age, sex, ethnicity, highest level of education level
completed and income. Age and sex are collected a second time to ensure
balance among experimental conditions.
[cir] Driving Simulator Training--This step is necessary for
preparing participants for driving in the simulator. Simulator driving
may feel different from regular driving and requires an adjustment
period to successfully control the vehicle. In addition, participants
who experience simulator sickness can withdraw from the study. Before
entering the vehicle, participants will receive training on the
operation of the vehicle, the DMS, and the secondary task on an
adjacent tablet. Participants will then enter the vehicle and receive
additional training. Next, participants will complete a 5-minute
familiarization drive to practice driving, experience the DMS, and
practice completing a secondary task.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2251--Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ)--
This form is required to ascertain whether participants feel well
enough to continue after the driving simulator training and after each
of the four subsequent study drives (administered five times). The SSQ
is important to administer after the last drive because some
participants may feel motion sickness due to vehicle control or the
safety-critical event and would require monitoring from study staff
until the symptoms pass.
<bullet> Data Collection Activities--This process is required
because it captures the information necessary to answer NHTSA's
research questions regarding acceptance and the valuation of the
contextual DMS. It is composed of two subcomponents: study drives, and
a DMS acceptance form. Each subcomponent is discussed in greater detail
below.
[cir] Driving Scenario Test Drives--These driving scenarios will
serve as the main source of data collection. Measures will include data
gathered from the driving simulator that relate to vehicle control
(e.g., standard deviation of lane position, velocity), driver behavior
(e.g., gaze location, head and body pose data) gathered from the DMS,
and driver physiological data (e.g., electrodermal activity, heart rate
variability) gathered from a sensor secured to the driver's wrist and
fingers. Participants will complete four driving scenarios using either
a conventional or contextual DMS. All drives mimic standard highway
settings and speed. The first three driving scenarios will have non-
crash imminent events (e.g., passing vehicles, merging) and will be
counterbalanced to control for order effects. The last drive will have
a crash-imminent event (e.g., a covered-to-revealed road obstruction).
The secondary task will be synchronized with the simulator such that
participants will be distracted approaching the hazard to ensure
validity of the DMS assessment.
[cir] NHTSA Form 2239--Acceptance Questionnaire 1 This
questionnaire is critical as it directly answers NHTSA's research
question regarding how a contextual DMS affects driver acceptance of
the DMS. The questionnaire will be administered after each study drive
and consist of five questions related to the participant's perception
of the DMS's usefulness, annoyance, predictability, timing and
perceived accuracy.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2240--Acceptance Questionnaire 2: This
questionnaire is critical as it directly answers NHTSA's research
question regarding how a contextual DMS affects driver acceptance of
the DMS. Two questions will be collected focusing on the participant's
comfort with DMS monitoring and their acceptance of the system. These
items were not added to NHTSA Form 2239--Acceptance Questionnaire 1
because these address long term factors which require more experience
with the systems before participants can form meaningful conclusions.
<bullet> System Comparison Activities: This process is required
because it contains the information necessary to answer NHTSA's
research questions regarding acceptance. It is composed of two
subcomponents: a review of conventional and contextual DMS drives and
completing a DMS acceptance form. Each subcomponent is discussed in
greater detail below.
[cir] Review of Conventional and Contextual DMS Drives:
Participants will watch videos comparing the DMS types across driving
scenarios to increase their understanding of how a contextual DMS
operates. Driving scenarios will be presented in the same sequence
experienced by the participants, while the order of DMS presentation
will be counterbalanced to control for order effects.
[cir] NHTSA Form 2241--Acceptance Questionnaire 3: After each
video, researchers will ask participants to complete this survey, which
consists of rating both types of DMS side-by-side on the factors of
interest from NHTSA Form X--Acceptance Questionnaire 1.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2242--Acceptance Questionnaire 4: After all
sets of driving

[[Page 35300]]

scenario videos have been watched, participants will complete a survey
comparing the conventional and contextual DMS in terms of monitoring
comfort and acceptance, as well explicating indicating their preference
for the conventional or contextual DMS.
<bullet> NHTSA Form 2237--Debrief & Honorarium Confirmation Form--
Debriefing is an essential study component which is designed to gather
participant insights and refine study outcomes. Following NHTSA Form
2242--Acceptance Questionnaire 4 completion, participants will engage
in a semi-structured debriefing session where the researcher will
explain the purpose of the study and participants will provide feedback
on the DMS, including usability and their overall study experience.
This process allows researchers to identify potential issues, capture
subjective perspectives, and gain insights into interface design
features (e.g., alerts, warnings), ensuring comprehensive evaluation
and improving the quality of study findings. The honorarium
confirmation form will be completed after the debrief and is necessary
because it ensures that participants are compensated for their time and
provides a record of compensation.
Affected Public: Individuals in the Washington DC metro area who
have opted to receive research-related emails through Westat's
participant database will be contacted. Recruitment efforts will be
supplemented by advertisements placed on Westat's intranet and via
social media posts and advertisements. Respondents must meet specific
eligibility criteria to be included in this information collection.
Respondents must (1) be at least 18 years old, (2) possess a valid
driver's license, (3) drive at least 3000 miles annually, (4) have
normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (5) have normal or corrected-to-
normal hearing, (6) refrain from alcohol and recreational substance use
(e.g., marijuana) for 24 hours before the session, (7) not take
sedative or psychotropic medication, (8) not wear bifocal lenses while
driving, (9) not require specialized driving equipment, (10) not have
medical conditions that might impact their ability to get in and out of
vehicles or sit for extended periods of time with intermittent driving,
(11) no history of simulator sickness.
Estimated Number of Respondents: Westat estimates contacting 204
respondents to achieve a final, valid dataset consisting of 48
respondents. Of the 204 respondents anticipated, Westat anticipates
contacting 68 respondents via phone call. Of the 68 respondents
contacted, Westat anticipates nine percent attrition, resulting in 62
scheduled participants. Westat anticipates an attrition rate of nine
percent between scheduling and study session, resulting in 56
participants attending their scheduled session. Some respondents may
experience minor simulator sickness and be unable to complete the
study, which Westat estimates at seven percent, resulting in 52
respondents completing the study. Finally, Westat estimates eight
percent of respondent data will be unusable due to data quality
problems (e.g., equipment malfunction, non-compliance), resulting in
the target dataset of 48 valid respondents.
Frequency: One-time collection.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The total estimated burden is
132 hours, which can be seen in Table 1 and is the sum of the total
opportunity burden hours column. All data collection is estimated to
occur within the same year, so the annualized burden equals the total
burden.

Table 1--Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Information Total number burden per Frequency Total
NHTSA Form No. collection of respondents response of response opportunity
(minutes) (count) burden (Hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2235............................. Advertisement...... 204 1 1 3
2243............................. Eligibility 204 5 1 17
Questionnaire &
Availability Form.
2249............................. Scheduling Form.... 68 5 1 6
2236............................. Appointment 62 1 1 1
Reminder Form.
2246............................. Informed Consent 56 3 1 3
Document.
2238............................. Intake Procedures 56 16 1 15
(Demographics
Questionnaire,
Driving Simulator
Training).
2251............................. Simulator Sickness 52 2 5 9
Questionnaire.
2239............................. Data Collection 52 12 4 42
Activities
(Driving Scenarios
Test Drives,
Acceptance
Questionnaire 1).
2240............................. Acceptance 52 1 1 1
Questionnaire 2.
2241............................. System Comparison 52 8 4 28
Activities (Review
of Conventional
and Contextual DMS
Drives; Acceptance
Questionnaire 3).
2242............................. Acceptance 52 2 1 1
Questionnaire 4.
2237............................. Debrief & 52 6 1 5
Honorarium
Confirmation Form.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Burden............. ................... .............. ........... ........... 132
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: There will be no start-up or
record-keeping costs to respondents to obtain these data. Participation
is voluntary, and no one will be required to participate. Participants
will be compensated for their time and effort for completing the study.
The only cost burdens respondents will incur are costs related to
travel to and from the research location. The costs are minimal and are
expected to be offset by the honorarium that will be provided to the
research participants. NHTSA estimates that each participant will
travel less than 30 miles

[[Page 35301]]

one-way to the research location (60 miles round trip). Using the IRS
standard mileage rate of $0.70 per mile, each respondent is expected to
incur no more than $42.00 ($0.70 x 60 miles) in transportation costs.
Therefore, estimated burden costs are no more than $2,184 ($42.00 x 52
respondents).
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. 2026-11556 Filed 6-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

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