Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Transmission Shift Position Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect

This document amends the starter interlock requirements of our safety standard on transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect to clarify how the requirements apply to vehicles incorporating emerging technologies. The amendment is intended to facilitate the development of propulsion systems that conserve energy and reduce emissions by stopping the engine (internal combustion engine) when it is not needed. It is also intended to minimize the possibility of crashes in which a driver has mis-shifted into a forward or reverse gear and would be unprepared for the direction of motion by the vehicle when the engine restarts.