Stability Control (ESC) for the Roadster

[TEG]

Some new clarification from Tesla:
Regulations.gov
http://www.regulations.gov/contentS...f27170&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf

...no more than 80 vehicles...

...Tesla has no intention of producing Roadsters for sale in the U.S. after October 20, 2011...

I hope the NHTSA cuts them a break.
What a hassle for such a small number of cars.
The "final batch."

I don't see them engineering an ESC solution for < 100 Roadsters.
What is "plan B" if the NHTSA denies them the exemption?
Ship the cars back out of the country?

 

[doug]

A naysayer stepped forward:

Regulations.gov
http://www.regulations.gov/contentS...f11fdb&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf

They do make some reasonable arguments. For example:

The Loss Of Unplanned Income Does Not Constitute Hardship
...
Tesla elected to avoid the necessity to comply with the ESC standard, which the company
was aware of, from the very beginning. When Tesla changed its plans to take advantage
of a longer production run it made a business decision that should have taken the cost of
compliance with FMVSS No. 126 into account. Clearly, Tesla was aware of the
compliance date of September 1, 2011 since it had initially planned to end production
prior to that date.

As far as I can tell, this organization, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, is legit and doesn't have some unseen agenda. (They probably protest most of these safety waivers.) Unlike Miles Automotive (since rebranded as Coda Automotive) which protested Tesla's airbag exemption in an obvious attempt to delay a competitor.

The timing on this is kinda crazy. Less than two months of noncompliance and no more than 80 vehicles, many of which are probably already sold. Hopefully DOT grants the waiver.

 

[TEG]

Yes. Perhaps the airbag exemption got their hopes up that this would get approved as well.
Maybe it will just get approved soon and this will be but a blip... Lets hope.

As has been said many times - navigating the regulations of the auto industry is complicated and at times, painful.
Even little car companies doing thing with a relative 'handful' of cars are still subject to the same sort of policies as the 'big players'.

 

[doug]

Perhaps the airbag exemption got their hopes up that this would get approved as well.

The airbag exemption expired back in January and by all indications their application for an extension will be rejected (as it's been for others), though DOT's stalling on that decision works in Tesla's favor. Basically they need DOT to say yes on the ESC exemption and nothing on the airbags.

 

[TEG]

Apparently Canadian bound cars are subject to the same stipulation:
Electronic Stability Control now mandatory | Wheels.ca

...on Sept. 1...a new regulation, Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 126, requiring that all vehicles for sale in Canada manufactured on or after that date, having a total mass of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) or less, must be equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC)...

I gather that some Canadian Vehicle Safety Standards must somewhat mirror US (FMVSS) standards.

 

[Doug_G]

I gather that some Canadian Vehicle Safety Standards must somewhat mirror US (FMVSS) standards.

The American and Canadian auto industries are pretty much one and the same, ever since the Auto Pact was signed by the two countries in 1965 - later superceded by NAFTA.

Canada – United States Automotive Products Agreement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[TEG]

Great news:
Federal Register, Volume 76 Issue 188 (Wednesday, September 28, 2011)

...

SUMMARY: This notice grants the petition of Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla)
for the temporary exemption of its Roadster model from the electronic
stability control requirements of FMVSS No. 126. The basis for the
exemption is that the exemption would facilitate the development or
field evaluation of a low-emission motor vehicle and would not
unreasonably reduce the safety level of that vehicle.

DATES: The exemption is effective September 28, 2011, and remains in
effect until November 7, 2011...

 

[TEG]

Great news:
Federal Register, Volume 76 Issue 188 (Wednesday, September 28, 2011)

...

SUMMARY: This notice grants the petition of Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla)
for the temporary exemption of its Roadster model from the electronic
stability control requirements of FMVSS No. 126. The basis for the
exemption is that the exemption would facilitate the development or
field evaluation of a low-emission motor vehicle and would not
unreasonably reduce the safety level of that vehicle.

DATES: The exemption is effective September 28, 2011, and remains in
effect until November 7, 2011...