Part 572; Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint 50th Percentile Adult Male Dummy (THOR-50M); Extension of Comment Period

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In response to a request from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators), NHTSA is announcing a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) published on September 22, 2026. The SNPRM supplements NHTSA's September 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking to amend NHTSA's regulations to include an advanced crash test dummy (the Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) 50th percentile adult male) by requesting comment on specifying an additional spine configuration and an alternative to the face foam, and announcing the availability of additional documents. The comment period for the SNPRM was originally scheduled to end on October 22, 2026. It will now end on November 21, 2026.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 204 (Friday, October 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 204 (Friday, October 23, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66827-66828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21730]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 572

[Docket No. NHTSA-2023-0031]
RIN 2127-AM20


Part 572; Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Test Device for Human 
Occupant Restraint 50th Percentile Adult Male Dummy (THOR-50M); 
Extension of Comment Period

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

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: In response to a request from the Alliance for Automotive 
Innovation (Auto Innovators), NHTSA is announcing a 30-day extension of 
the public comment period for the Supplemental Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (SNPRM) published on September 22, 2026. The SNPRM 
supplements NHTSA's September 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking to 
amend NHTSA's regulations to include an advanced crash test dummy (the 
Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) 50th percentile adult 
male) by requesting comment on specifying an additional spine 
configuration and an alternative to the face foam, and announcing the 
availability of additional documents. The comment period for the SNPRM 
was originally scheduled to end on October 22, 2026. It will now end on 
November 21, 2026.

DATES: The comment period for the SNPRM published on September 22, 2026 
at 91 FR 60068 is extended to November 21, 2026.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments to the docket number identified in 
the heading of this document by one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal Rulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W58-213, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> 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 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information 
provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, 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 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, or other entity). For information 
on DOT's compliance with the Privacy Act, see <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues, you may contact 
Garry Brock at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#791e180b0b00571b0b161a12391d160d571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1c6c0d3d3d88fc3d3cec2cae1c5ced58fc6ced7">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. For legal issues, you may contact 
John Piazza at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a5efcacdcb8bf5ccc4dfdfc4e5c1cad18bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="460c292e2868162f273c3c270622293268212930">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. You can reach these officials by 
phone at 202-366-1810. Address: National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 7, 2023, NHTSA published a 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to amend NHTSA's regulations to 
include an advanced crash test dummy, the THOR-50M.\1\ The dummy 
represents an adult male of roughly average height and weight and is 
designed for use in frontal crash tests. The documentation for the 
dummy, including engineering drawings, qualification procedures and 
specifications, and procedures for assembly, disassembly, and 
inspection (PADI), would be incorporated by reference in 49 CFR part 
572, Anthropomorphic Test Devices. Since the NPRM, and in response to 
the NPRM comments, NHTSA has evaluated additional modifications to the 
dummy.
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    \1\ 88 FR 61896.
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    On September 22, 2026, NHTSA published an SNPRM specifying 
alternative designs to the proposed drawing package for the spine and 
the face insert.\2\ For the spine, an alternative design referred to as 
the ``four-position spine'' is proposed, which allows integration of 
in-dummy data acquisition systems from different vendors while 
maintaining equivalent inertial properties and performance to the spine 
proposed in the NPRM. For the face insert, an alternative insert was 
developed to address the limitations of the face foam proposed in the 
NPRM in response to both comments received and operational concerns. 
Research reports were also placed in the THOR-50M research docket.\3\ 
NHTSA also proposed a minor modification to the upper arm to address a 
durability concern.
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    \2\ 91 FR 60068.
    \3\ Docket No. NHTSA-2019-0106.
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    On September 28, 2026, NHTSA received a request from the Alliance 
for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators) for a 30-day extension of 
the comment period. Auto Innovators stated that the 30-day comment 
period was

[[Page 66828]]

insufficient for stakeholders to review and provide comments to the 
notice, research reports, and technical drawing packages. Auto 
Innovators noted that there were more than 1,700 pages of highly 
detailed technical information provided with the SNPRM. Auto Innovators 
stated that a 30-day extension of the comment period would provide 
stakeholders with sufficient opportunity to complete the necessary 
technical analyses, coordinate across member companies, and submit more 
detailed comments to help better inform any changes to the final rule.
    NHTSA is granting the request to extend the comment period by 30 
days. We have 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 SNPRM and 
the associated technical updates to the THOR-50M design, with its 
interest in obtaining specific feedback from stakeholders in a timely 
manner. Accordingly, NHTSA is extending the comment period until 
November 21, 2026.\4\
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    \4\ 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; 
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delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95.

Jonathan Morrison,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2026-21730 Filed 10-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P


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