AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Interim final rule; extension of comment period.

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 interim final rule (IFR) published on July 31, 2026 amending NHTSA's general exemption regulations to remove language limiting the application of temporary exemptions from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and the bumper standard to motor vehicles manufactured on and after the effective date of an exemption, and to align the regulations with the Administrator's statutory discretion to determine the vehicle population covered by a temporary exemption. The notice also removed the requirement that applications for exemption be submitted in three copies and specified an electronic means for submission. The comment period for the notice was originally scheduled to end on August 31, 2026. It will now end on September 30, 2026.

DATES:

The comment period for the IFR published on July 31, 2026 at 91 FR 48307, is extended. Comments should be received on or before September 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

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

• Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Suite W58-213, 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) 366-9826 or (202) 366-9317 before coming. ( printed page 55794)

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 www.regulations.gov, 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 www.transportation.gov/​privacy.

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 via internet.

Confidential Business Information: If you claim that any of the information in your comment (including any additional documents or attachments) constitutes confidential business information within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) or is protected from disclosure pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1905, please see the detailed instructions given under the Public Participation heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Eli Wachtel, Office of the Chief Counsel email: eli.wachtel@dot.gov, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.