DOT

BMW Hydrogen 7 Joins Department of Transportation, Department of Energy and Leading Automakers on a Two-Week Tour of 31 Cities, August 11 - August 23

Portland, ME, August 11, 2008 -- The BMW Hydrogen 7, the first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan, joins an unprecedented cross-country journey featuring hydrogen-powered cars by the world's leading automakers in the 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour. From August 11 - 23, the hydrogen powered convoy will travel from Portland, Maine to Santa Monica, California with one goal: to call on congressional leaders to support the creation of a nationwide hydrogen fueling station infrastructure.

Overview

Feb. 4, 2008 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts critical behavioral and vehicle programs, and provides grants to the States for the administration of highway traffic safety programs. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people in the United States ages 2 through 34. In 2006, motor vehicle crashes claimed 42,642 lives and accounted for over 90 percent of transportation-related deaths. The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes is estimated to be more than $230 billion annually.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 -- A new five star government rating system will grade child safety seats on how easy they are to properly install, and will help guide parents and caregivers in choosing the right car seat to keep their children safe, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced today.

Secretary Peters and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Nicole Nason outlined the new star rating system at an Arlington, Va., fire station today, and released new star ratings for 78 child safety seats currently on the market.

Thursday, January 24, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today issued a modification of its proposed new roof crush standard to request public input on whether both sides of a vehicle roof should be tested and meet minimum forces.

If adopted, the two-sided testing would require manufacturers to design vehicle roofs that withstand at least 2.5 times the weight of the vehicle on both sides of the roof as an alternative to testing just one side. A proposal, announced in August 2005, would require auto makers to build vehicle roofs to withstand a force equal to 2.5 times the vehicle weight, as applied to only one side. The proposed roof strengthening would apply to vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds.