Part 572; Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint 50th Percentile Adult Male Dummy (THOR-50M); Extension of Comment Period
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 ...
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION:
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 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:
Federal Rulemaking Portal: 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
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 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
www.transportation.gov/privacy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For technical issues, you may contact Garry Brock at
garry.brock@dot.gov. For legal issues, you may contact John Piazza at
John.Piazza@dot.gov. 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.
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.
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
( printed 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]
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.
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
91 FR 66827
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Part 572; Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint 50th Percentile Adult Male Dummy (THOR-50M); Extension of Comment Period,” thefederalregister.org (October 23, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-21730/part-572-anthropomorphic-test-devices-test-device-for-human-occupant-restraint-50th-percentile-adult-male-dummy-thor-50m.
www.regulations.gov
www.transportation.gov/privacy
49 CFR part 572
49 U.S.C. 322