Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration HQ, 400 7th Street, SW, Room 5301, Washington, DC, 20590

B -- FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A VEHICLE HEADLIGHT RATING SYSTEM FOR NEW CAR BUYERS SOL DTNH22-99-R-02022 DUE 070599 POC Peter Schultz, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 366-9561, Fax (202) 366-9555, Email pschultz@nhtsa.dot.gov WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&;ProjID=DTNH22-99-R-0 2022&LocID=135. E-MAIL: Peter Schultz, pschultz@nhtsa.dot.gov. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office of Crash Avoidance Standards intends to investigate the feasibility of creating a performance rating system for new vehicle headlighting. NHTSA is considering this action due to the large number of complaints received from consumers regarding headlighting. Among these complaints are: insufficient illumination of critical areas, excessive brightness, and "streakiness." Addressing these complaints by amending headlamp regulations is not practical. It is very difficult to justify making subtle changes to headlamp beam patterns. Because there are many different opinions on which is the best beam pattern, a consensus within the lighting industry on which changes are necessary would be difficult to obtain. NHTSA believes that a rating system would be the best way to increase the number of good headlighting systems on the road, as consumer preference would be the driving factor. This procurement would be separated into two phases. The objective of the first phase will be to determine if the creation of a headlighting rating system to aid consumers in choosing a new vehicle is feasible. The determination of feasibility shall be based on cost of the program as compared to the projected benefits to consumers. Based on the findings of Phase I, the Government may or may not choose to proceed with Phase II. If the Government authorizes Phase II, the contractor will research and assess data gathering techniques to determine which would be best for a headlighting rating system. The contractor would then be required to develop a consumer-friendly headlighting rating system which would be easy to understand and, at the same time, take into account vehicle safety compliance regulations and sound roadway illumination practices. Finally, the contractor will design a software system to be used in support of the headlighting rating system. Posted 04/15/99 (D-SN320799). (0105)

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