# Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Interior Trunk Release
> **National Highway Traffic Safety Administration** · Final rule. · Published 2000-10-20 · Effective 2001-09-01 · 65 FR 63014
## Document
- **Document number:** 00-27038
- **Category:** fmvss
- **Sub-agency:** National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- **Federal Register citation:** 65 FR 63014
- **CFR reference:** 49 CFR 571
- **Publication date:** 2000-10-20
- **Effective date:** 2001-09-01
- **DOT docket:** Docket No. NHTSA 99-5063
## Abstract

This document establishes new Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) No. 401; Internal trunk release, that requires all new passenger cars with trunks be equipped with a release latch inside the trunk compartment beginning September 1, 2001. Instead of a release latch, this document also permits the installation of an alternative system such as a passive trunk release system which would detect the presence of a human in the trunk and would automatically unlatch the trunk lid. During the summer of 1998, eleven children died when they inadvertently trapped themselves in the trunk of a car. This new standard will provide children and others who find themselves trapped inside a passenger car trunk a chance to get out of the trunk alive.

## Source
- [Federal Register document](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/10/20/00-27038/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-interior-trunk-release)
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