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Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Distraction: Personal Electronic Devices

A Notice by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on 03/06/2026

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Department of Transportation

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

1. [Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0058]

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments on a new information collection.

SUMMARY:

NHTSA invites public comments about the Agency's intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on a new information collection consisting of a single, one-time experimental research study titled, Distraction: Portable electronic device interfaces.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before May 5, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0058 through any of the following methods: ( printed page 11121)

• Electronic Submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Suite W58-213, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9826 or (202) 366-9317 before coming. Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.

Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of the Agency's dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/​privacy.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets via internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or access to background documents, contact Jeffrey Dressel Office of Vehicle Safety Research, Human Factors/Engineering Integration Division NSR-310, West Building, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; jeffrey.dressel@dot.gov, 202-493-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following: (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) how to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public comments on the following proposed collection of information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.

Title: Distraction: Portable electronic devices.

OMB Control Number: New.

Form Number(s): There are multiple forms for this new information collection including:

• NHTSA Form 2059: Part I Advertisement
• NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility Questionnaire
• NHTSA Form 2061: Part I Scheduling Availability Form
• NHTSA Form 2062: Part I Appointment Confirmation Email
• NHTSA Form 2063: Part I Informed Consent Document
• NHTSA Form 2064: Part I Honorarium Confirmation
• NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates
• NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement
• NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire
• NHTSA Form 2068: Part II Informed Consent Document
• NHTSA Form 2069: Part II NASA TLX Form
• NHTSA Form 2070: Part II Debriefing and Honorarium Confirmation Type of Request: New information collection.

Type of Review Requested: Regular.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of approval.

Summary of the Collection of Information: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new information collection consisting of a single, one-time experimental research study that involves voluntary participation from members of the public. Participants must have experience using either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay with in-vehicle infotainment systems. The collection consists of experimental data reporting and survey responses. Data collected will include eye tracking measurements, vehicle performance metrics, task completion times, error rates, participant demographics, and responses to questionnaires about interface usage and acceptance. The purpose of this research is to evaluate how safely drivers can interact with smartphone integration systems that allow access to smartphone applications through the vehicle's built-in display screen.

The research consists of two parts. Part I consists of an evaluation method called an “occlusion study” at Westat facilities in the Washington DC area. In this part, 24 participants per system (across up to 3 vehicles, for a total of up to 56 participants) will perform 6-9 standardized tasks while wearing special electronic goggles. These goggles automatically switch between clear and blocked views every 1.5 seconds, simulating how drivers normally shift their gaze between looking at the road and looking at the vehicle's displays. Before testing, participants will receive thorough training on each task. They will then perform each task five times while wearing the goggles per the testing procedures outlined in the NTHSA visual-manual distraction guidelines. Researchers will measure how long participants need to see the display to complete each task (called “Total Shutter Open Time” or TSOT), document any mistakes made during the tasks, record how participants recover from these mistakes, and gather feedback about whether the tasks are reasonable to perform while driving. Participants will be provided a $120 honorarium upon completion of Part I.

Part II consists of a closed-course track (CCT) evaluation conducted at Utah Motorsports Campus near Salt Lake City with 72 participants. Due to the cost of missing a study session, participants will be overbooked for each study session, meaning that two participants will be invited to the same study session but only one participant will complete the study. Both will be compensated the same rate ($120). The reason for using the overbooking strategy is because the cost of recruiting more participants is much less expensive than the cost of missing one session on the closed course track. This part will examine a subset of the tasks from Part I in actual driving conditions on a 0.84-mile stretch on a closed course tack (CCT). Participants will drive specially equipped vehicles while performing the interface tasks. ( printed page 11122) Researchers will collect several types of data: where drivers look while driving (using eye tracking equipment), how well they control the vehicle (measuring lane position, speed, and steering movements), how quickly they respond to simple tasks while driving (using a standardized “Detection Response Task” where drivers press a button in response to a signal), how quickly they react to important events, how long it takes to complete tasks, and how many mistakes they make. Each participant will complete multiple drives to test different aspects of the interfaces.

For both parts, participants will complete questionnaires about their background, driving experience, and familiarity with these interfaces. The collected data will be analyzed to evaluate whether these interfaces meet NHTSA's guidelines for minimizing driver distraction and to assess their effects on driving safety. The findings will help inform future safety guidelines and policy decisions regarding in-vehicle portable device interfaces.

Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the Information: This new information request is for a multipart study to understand how modern smartphone mirroring systems affect driver distraction when compared with legacy OEM systems, as well as which commonly completed tasks are compliant with NHTSA distraction guidelines. The following components will be used to obtain the necessary information to achieve this purpose. The time to complete forms and tasks is based on the average reading rate of 238 words per minute, with potential buffer time for questions based on recent researcher experience as well as internal pilot testing.

(1) NHTSA Form 2059: Part I Advertisement —This form is necessary to recruit potential participants. This document's content will be published on Westat's intranet and social media channels, as well as distributed via email to a database of former participants expressing interest in future research. Participants who are interested in participating will be redirected to NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility Questionnaire to determine if they are eligible. We estimate that of the people who see the advertisement, about 168 people will read it and be sufficiently interested in the study to seek out the eligibility screener. For reading the recruitment text we estimate an average completion time of 1 minute. This results in: 168 participants × 1 minute = 168 minutes = 2.8 hours.

(2) NHTSA Form 2060: Part I Eligibility Questionnaire —Recruitment for the occlusion study is necessary to ensure the validity and generalizability of the findings. This process will involve online screening and diverse outreach efforts, such as social media advertisements and intranet postings, to assemble a representative participant pool. Eligibility criteria will include (1) participant age of at least 18 years old, (2) familiarity with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, (3) does not regularly drive one of the study vehicles, (4) possesses a valid driver's license, (5) drives at least 3000 miles annually, (6) has normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (7) has normal or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8) English fluency, and (9) is in general good health. Recruiting participants for the study will involve approximately 168 individuals, each of whom will spend approximately 5 minutes completing an online eligibility questionnaire. This results in: 168 individuals × 5 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.

(3) NHTSA Form 2061: Part I Scheduling Availability Form —This form is essential to capture participant's name, contact information and to ensure that participants provide their preferred time slot. Once an individual is deemed eligible, they will be taken to this form automatically. One hundred individuals are expected to be eligible and complete the scheduling availability form. This results in: 100 participants × 2 minutes = 200 minutes = 3.3 hours.

(4) Part I Scheduling Process —Scheduling is essential in recruitment for Part I to ensure participant readiness and efficient study operations. The scheduling process includes a scheduling call, confirmation email, and reminder email. The entire process (as seen in Table 2) is completed in 7 minutes.

a. Part I Scheduling Call Process —The next step in the enrollment process involves calling eligible individuals to schedule their appointment. The call also provides the opportunity to provide additional study information like the location, study details, and answer any questions individuals may have. We estimate the call will last 5 minutes. To account for attrition, we plan to enroll 3 extra participants than our desired number. This results in 59 participants × 5 minutes = 295 minutes = 4.9 hours.

b. NHTSA Form 2062: Part I Appointment Confirmation Email —Following the call, participants will be sent an appointment confirmation email, with pertinent study information included (i.e., session date, time, and location and how to reschedule or cancel). As an additional step, participants will be sent an a reminder email 24 hours before scheduled sessions is a critical step in ensuring smooth coordination and minimizing participant no-shows for Part I. Participants are estimated to spend approximately 1 minute reading and responding to this email, which will include essential information such as the session time, location, materials to bring, and instructions to confirm their attendance. Additionally, the email provides an opportunity for participants to ask any last-minute questions or inform the research team of scheduling conflicts. This step is designed to reinforce participant preparedness, reduce logistical issues, and enhance overall study efficiency. This results in: 59 participants × 1 minutes = 59 minutes = 0.98 hours.

c. Part I Appointment Reminder Email— As an additional step, participants will be sent a reminder email 24 hours before scheduled sessions is a critical step in ensuring smooth coordination and minimizing participant no-shows for Part I. Participants are estimated to spend approximately 1 minute reading and responding to this email, which will include essential information such as the session time, location, materials to bring, and instructions to confirm their attendance. Additionally, the email provides an opportunity for participants to ask any last-minute questions or inform the research team of scheduling conflicts. This results in: 59 participants × 1 minutes = 59 minutes = 0.98 hours.

(4) NHTSA Form 2063: Part I Informed Consent Document —Obtaining informed consent upon arrival is an essential step to ensure compliance with ethical research standards and participant understanding for Part I. During this process, participants will review and sign consent forms, confirming their comprehension of the study's purpose, procedures, potential risks, and their rights as participants. This process also provides an opportunity for participants to ask questions or request clarification before the study begins, ensuring transparency, voluntary participation, and alignment with institutional and regulatory ethical guidelines. We anticipate that 3 of the people we schedule will not show up to complete the study. This results in: 56 participants × 5 minutes = 280 minutes = 4.7 hours.

(5) Part I Data Collection Activities —This process is required because it contains the information necessary to answer NHTSA's research questions. It is comprised of five subcomponents: familiarization process, pertaining task error evaluation, occlusion training task assessment process, and honorarium ( printed page 11123) and debriefing process. Each subcomponent is discussed in greater detail below. The subcomponents of burden can be seen below. The entire procedures (as seen in Table 2) are completed in 115 minutes.

a. Part I Familiarization Process —The familiarization process following the consent procedure is a critical step to ensure participant readiness and comfort for Part I. Participants will be provided with an overview of the study procedures, including the tasks they will perform and the purpose of using occlusion goggles to simulate real-world driving behavior. They will familiarize themselves with the vehicles by adjusting their seating positions, understanding the layout of the interfaces (OEM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto), and practicing basic controls. This step ensures that participants are oriented to the study environment, reducing potential variability in performance, and improving the reliability and consistency of collected data. Participants will then complete a practice task with the occlusion goggles powered on. This is to limit their learning effects during the experiment. The familiarization process is expected to take approximately 15 minutes per participant. This results in: 56 participants × 15 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.

b. Part I Pretraining Task Error Evaluation Process —Pretraining task error evaluations are a critical step in Part I, providing baseline data on participant performance and error recovery strategies before formal training. Participants will attempt each task once using their most familiar interface platform, allowing researchers to document initial error rates, types of errors, and recovery approaches. This process ensures that common errors and participant strategies can be identified, which informs subsequent task design and training adjustments to improve study validity and reliability. This step is expected to take a maximum of 15 minutes per participant, with an average of 3 minutes per trial and a maximum of 5 trials. This results in: 56 participants × 15 minutes = 840 minutes = 14 hours.

c. Part I Occlusion Training Process —Occlusion training is a necessary component of Part I to ensure participants are proficient in using the occlusion goggles and navigating the interfaces. Participants will be introduced to the goggles and their operation, including how they alternate between open and closed states to simulate glances between the road and the device. Training includes task demonstrations by the experimenter, hands-on practice with the tasks, and repeated trials to achieve proficiency. This ensures participants are comfortable with the equipment and task procedures, reducing variability in performance and enabling accurate data collection. Each participant is expected to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this training. The average time to complete a training session is 2.22 minutes with maximum of 9 training sessions. This results in: 56 participants × 20 minutes = 1,120 minutes = 18.6 hours.

d. Part I Task Assessment Process —Task execution is a core component of Part I, designed to evaluate participant performance across different interface platforms. Participants will complete six-to-nine predefined tasks on two platforms (Android Auto or Apple CarPlay and one of three OEM systems) in one of three vehicles or complete six-to-nine tasks across all three OEM systems, ensuring comprehensive coverage of interface interactions. Each task will be performed five times to ensure data stability and allow researchers to analyze performance consistency and learning effects. This structured approach ensures robust and reliable data collection to assess task performance metrics and compliance with NHTSA guidelines. Each participant is expected to spend a maximum of 60 minutes completing task assessments, with an average task assessment taking 6.67 minutes and a maximum of 9 task assessments. This results in: 56 participants × 60 minutes = 3,360 minutes = 56 hours.

e. NHTSA Form 2064: Part I Honorarium Confirmation —Debriefing is an essential component of Part I which is designed to gather participant insights and refine study outcomes. Following task completion, participants will engage in a structured debriefing session where they will provide feedback on task difficulty, interface usability, and their overall study experience. This process allows researchers to identify potential issues, capture subjective perspectives, and gain insights into interface design features, ensuring comprehensive evaluation and improving the quality of study findings. Participants will complete this step to ensure that they are compensated for their time. Each debriefing session is expected to take approximately 5 minutes per participant. This results in: 56 participants × 5 minutes = 280 minutes = 4.7 hours.

(6) NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement —This step is necessary to recruit participants from Red Scientific's participant database (via email see NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates) and social media (via NHTSA Form 2066: Part II Advertisement) as needed. Participants will be directed to NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire to determine if they are eligible to participate. We estimate 288 individuals will read the advertisement and express sufficient interest to seek the eligibility screener. We anticipate it will take 1 minute to read the advertisement text about the study. This results in 288 participants × 1 minute = 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.

(7) NHTSA Form 2067: Part II Eligibility Questionnaire —Administering the online eligibility questionnaire is a critical step in the recruitment for Part II to efficiently identify qualified participants. Recruitment efforts will include advertisements posted in local newspapers, on community boards, through social media, and within an existing participant database. These advertisements will direct interested individuals to an online questionnaire, highlighting the eligibility criteria: (1) participant age of at least 21 years old, (2) familiarity with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, (3) do not regularly drive one of the study vehicles, (4) possess a valid driver's license, (5) drive at least 3,000 miles annually, (6) have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (7) have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8) English fluency, (9) are in general good health, (10) ability to abstain from alcohol and recreational substance use (e.g., marijuana) for 12 hours before the session, (11) do not take sedative or psychotropic medication, (12) no more than 2 at-fault accidents in the last 2 years, (13) do not wear corrective lenses while driving (contacts are allowed), (14) do not require specialized driving equipment, (15) no medical conditions that might impact driving (i.e., heart condition, back or neck pain, recent back or neck pain treatment, disorders, disability or seizures), and (16) no false eyelashes or mascara. The questionnaire is designed to filter out ineligible candidates by providing immediate feedback on their status. Approximately 50% of those who begin the questionnaire are expected to meet the eligibility criteria. To identify 144 participants, approximately 288 individuals will begin the questionnaire. Each individual will spend an average of 10 minutes completing the form: 288 individuals × 10 minutes = 2,880 minutes = 48 hours.

(8) Part II Scheduling Process —Scheduling is essential in recruitment for Part II to ensure participant ( printed page 11124) readiness and efficient study operations. The scheduling process includes a scheduling call, confirmation email, and reminder email. The entire process (as seen in Table 3) is completed in 9 minutes.

a. Part II Scheduling Call —Once 144 eligible participants are identified through the eligibility questionnaire, they will proceed to the scheduling phase, where the research team will call eligible individuals to schedule their session. The call provides the opportunity to provide additional study information like the location, study details, and answer any questions individuals may have. We estimate the call will last 5 minutes. To ensure that all available sessions are double booked, two individuals will be scheduled for each session. This results in 144 participants × 5 minutes = 720 minutes = 12 hours.

b. Part II Confirmation Email —After each individual is scheduled, they will receive an email confirming their study session (from NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates). During this phase, each participant will spend an average of 2 minutes reading and responding to this email. The email will include information including the session time, location, materials to bring, and instructions to confirm their attendance. Participants are encouraged to ask any additional questions they may have. This confirmation ensures a well-coordinated schedule and minimizes the risk of no-shows or miscommunication, supporting the successful execution of the study. This results in: 144 participants × 2 minutes = 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.

c. Part II Reminder Email —Sending a reminder email 24 hours before scheduled sessions (from NHTSA Form 2065: Part II Email Templates) is a critical step in Part II to ensure smooth coordination and participant preparedness. The email will provide detailed information about session logistics, including directions to the testing location, session time, and any specific instructions or requirements, such as materials to bring or preparatory steps. This reminder also offers participants the opportunity to confirm their attendance or notify the research team of any last-minute conflicts, reducing the likelihood of no-shows and ensuring the study proceeds as planned. Participants are expected to spend approximately 2 minutes reading and responding to these emails to confirm their attendance. This results in: 144 participants × 2 minutes = 288 minutes = 4.8 hours.

(9) Part II Initial Setup & Intake Process —This procedure is necessary because it prepares participants for their study session. The initial setup and intake process includes informed consent, study setup and route familiarization. The entire process (as seen in Table 3) is completed in 50 minutes. Note, this process includes the double booked participants, so there is attrition at the end of this process (reduction of 72 participants) for the rest of the data collection activities from Part II Task Assessment Process onward.

a. NHTSA Form 2068: Part II Informed Consent Document will be completed in this step to ensure participants are informed of their rights, as well as the study details and what information will be collected from them and obtain their written consent. The informed consent document will be printed on paper for participants to physically sign at the beginning of their session. Further, participants will be introduced to the vehicle, vehicle controls, interfaces and safety information they will be using as well as the eye tracker and tactile detection response system. We anticipate 72 participants will complete this procedure and it will average 20 minutes to complete. This process is expected to take approximately 20 minutes per participant. This results in: 144 participants × 20 minutes = 2,880 minutes = 48 hours.

b. Part II Study Setup —The study setup is a critical preparatory phase in Part II to ensure participants are ready and equipped for testing. Following the consent process, participants will receive a comprehensive introduction to the study procedures, including a detailed safety briefing that covers equipment use, driving protocols, and emergency procedures. Participants will then be seated in the test vehicle, where they will be fitted with eye-tracking equipment to monitor visual behavior, as well as tactile motors and response switches for the Detection Response Task (TDRT). This step ensures participants are fully prepared to proceed safely and effectively with the study tasks. The study setup is expected to take approximately 15 minutes per participant. This results in: 144 participants × 15 minutes = 2,160 minutes = 36 hours.

c. Part II Route Familiarization —The route familiarization drive is a critical preparatory step in Part II to ensure participants are comfortable with the vehicle and test route. Participants will complete a guided familiarization drive along the 0.84-mile test route to learn the vehicle's handling characteristics and route-specific safety considerations. This process ensures that participants are confident in operating the vehicle and are adequately prepared for the task evaluations, promoting both safety and reliable data collection. This results in: 144 participants × 15 minutes = 2,160 minutes = 36 hours.

d. Part II Double Booked Participants —Each session will be double booked to ensure there is a participant for each session given the limited track time. After completion of the setup and intake process, half of the participants will be thanked for their time and compensated $120 since only 72 participants are needed for the study.

(10) Part II Task Assessment Process —This set of procedures is essential because this is where the study data will be collected. The task assessment process consists of the task assessments, NASA TLX, and buffer time. The entire process (as seen in Table 3) is completed in 160 minutes.

a. Part II Task Assessments —Task execution within the interface blocks is a central component of Part II designed to evaluate participant performance across three distinct interfaces: OEM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Each interface evaluation begins with a 10-minute orientation, during which participants are introduced to the interface layout and controls. This is followed by four task segments, with each segment lasting 9 minutes and involving task performance under real-world driving conditions. This structured approach ensures consistent evaluation across interfaces, enabling a comprehensive comparison of usability, cognitive workload, and safety-relevant metrics. Each interface requires a total of 10 minutes for orientation and 36 minutes (4 × 9 minutes) for task performance, for a total of 46 minutes per interface. Across all three interfaces, participants will spend 138 minutes (46 × 3 interfaces), or 2.3 hours per participant. This results in: 72 participants × 2.3 hours = 165.6 hours.

b. NHTSA Form 2069: Part II NASA TLX Form —The NASA TLX (Task Load Index) form is a necessary component of Part II to assess the cognitive workload associated with each interface. The NASA TLX is a widely used self-reported tool designed to measure perceived workload across dimensions such as mental demand, physical demand, and effort. Participants will complete the form after each of the four task segments for the OEM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto interfaces, with each form requiring approximately 1 minute to complete. This totals 4 minutes of form completion time per interface. The data collected through the NASA TLX is essential for evaluating usability and workload demands, providing critical insights into driver- ( printed page 11125) interface interactions and their impact on performance and safety. For all three interfaces, participants will spend 12 minutes (4 minutes × 3 interfaces) completing the NASA TLX forms. This results in: 72 participants × 12 minutes = 864 minutes = 14.4 hours

c. Part II Buffer Time —For each participant an additional 10-minute time buffer is necessary to account for unforeseen delays, equipment adjustments, or additional breaks. This buffer ensures that transitions between activities are smooth and that participants have sufficient time to complete all tasks. This results in: 72 participants × 10 minutes = 720 minutes = 12 hours.

(11) NHTSA Form 2070: Part II Debriefing and Honorarium Confirmation —The debriefing process is a necessary final step in Part II to ensure participants are allowed to ask any final questions and receive their honorarium. Participants will complete NHTSA Form 2070: Part II Debriefing and Honorarium Confirmation during this step to read the debriefing materials and ensure that they are compensated for their time. Additionally, a researcher will briefly review the collected data to ensure proper acquisition and verify data integrity and adherence to the established collection protocols. The debrief is expected to take approximately 5 minutes per participant. This results in: 72 participants × 5 minutes = 360 minutes = 6 hours.

Affected Public: Individuals either in the Washington, DC metropolitan area or the Salt Lake City, Utah area who have volunteered to take part in driving studies or who have opted in to receive research-related emails from Red Scientific or Westat's participant database will be contacted for participation. Recruitment efforts will be supplemented by advertisements placed on company intranet sites and via social media posts and advertisements. Respondents must meet specific eligibility criteria to be included in this information collection. For both studies, respondents must (1) be at least 18 years old for Part I or 21 years old for Part II, (2) have familiarity with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, (3) not regularly drive one of the study vehicles, (4) possess a valid driver's license, (5) drive at least 3000 miles annually, (6) have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, (7) have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing, (8) be fluent in English, and (9) be in generally good health. Additionally for Part II, respondents must (10) abstain from alcohol and recreational substance use (e.g., marijuana) for 12 hours before the session, (11) not take sedative or psychotropic medication, (12) have no more than 2 at-fault accidents in the last 2 years, (13) not wear corrective lenses while driving (contacts are allowed), (14) not require specialized driving equipment, (15) have no medical conditions that might impact driving (i.e., heart condition, back or neck pain, recent back or neck pain treatment, disorders, disability or seizures), and (16) refrain from wearing false eyelashes and mascara during scheduled session. Businesses are ineligible for the sample and will not be contacted.

Estimated Number of Respondents: For Part I we estimate a maximum of 168 respondents, with 59 eligible participants targeted for recruitment and 5% attrition, resulting a final sample of 56 respondents. For Part II, we estimate a maximum number of respondents to be 288 participants with 144 eligible participants targeted for recruitment. For Part II, we plan to overbook participant sessions to ensure maximum use of test track time, no attrition is planned, resulting in a final sample size of 72.

Frequency: One-time collection.

Estimated Number of Responses: This is a one-time data collection with 56 complete responses estimated for Part I, and 72 complete responses estimated for Part II (i.e., one response per respondent).

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The total estimated burden is 139 hours for Part I and 392.4 hours for Part II. All data collection is estimated to occur within the same year, so the annualized hours equal the total hours. The total study burden hours is estimated at 531.4 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: Participation in this study is voluntary, and there are no costs to respondents beyond the time spent completing the questionnaires and travel costs for the visits to the study facility. The costs are minimal and are expected to be offset by the compensation that will be provided to the research participants.

Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.

Cem Hatipoglu,

Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research.

[FR Doc. 2026-04440 Filed 3-5-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

Published Document: 2026-04440 (91 FR 11120)