PERFORMANCE DATA FOR NEW PASSENGER CARS AND MOTORCYCLES. VOL. 1, NO. 1

MOTOR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION IS COLLECTED IN THE AREAS OF STOPPING DISTANCE, TIRE RESERVE LOAD, AND ACCELERATION AND PASSING ABILITY AND ARRANGED BY MANUFACTURER MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IT IS PROVIDED BY THE VARIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS UNDER REGULATIONS ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION. THESE PERFORMANCE FIGURES, SUPPLIED BY EACH MANUFACTURER ARE MINIMUM FIGURES. THE LAW REQUIRES THAT EACH VEHICLE DESCRIBED BE ABLE TO MEET OR EXCEED THE PERFORMANCE LEVEL THAT ITS MANUFACTURER SETS FORTH. THE MARGIN BY WHICH EACH VEHICLE WILL EXCEED THE STATED FIGURE IS LEFT UP TO THE MANUFACTURER. IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE MANUFACTURERS WILL PROVIDE FIGURES THAT THEY KNOW FROM THEIR OWN TESTING ARE A REASONABLE REFLECTION OF WHAT EACH OF THEIR VEHICLES CAN DO, ALLOWING A MARGIN FOR NORMAL VARIATIONS IN VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. THE FIGURES APPLY TO NEW VEHICLES, AFTER SUITABLE BREAK-IN AND ADJUSTMENT ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIONS. HOW WELL THEY PERFORM IN THE HANDS OF THEIR OWNER OF COURSE DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS: HOW WELL THEY ARE MAINTAINED, HOW CAREFULLY DRIVEN, AND ALL THE OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO VEHICLE DETERIORATION OVER TIME. IN THE CASE OF THE BRAKING AND ACCELERATION INFORMATION, THE FIGURES RELATE TO PERFORMANCE UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THAT THEY REFLECT PERFORMANCE IN THE HANDS OF A SKILLED DRIVER. THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE, UNLIKE COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE FIGURES PUBLISHED BY PRIVATE TESTING ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BE CORRECT AS A MATTER OF FEDERAL LAW, THE NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT, UNDER THE PENALTIES PROVIDED BY THE LAW IN CASES OF FAILURE TO COMPLY. /SRIS/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 319 Pp, FigS, TABS
• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Transportation

  /Nat Highway Safety Bureau
  ,   United States 
• Publication Date: 1970-1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceleration (Mechanics); Automobiles; Braking; Motor vehicles; Motorcycles; Passing; Performance tests; Regulations; Stopping distances; Tires; Vehicle performance
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223587
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 1 1971 12:00AM