Title 49

SECTION 537.5

537.5 General requirements for reports.

§ 537.5 General requirements for reports.

(a) For each current model year, each manufacturer shall submit a pre-model year report, a mid-model year report, and, as required by § 537.8, supplementary reports.

(b)(1) The pre-model year report required by this part for each current model year must be submitted during the month of December (e.g., the pre-model year report for the 1983 model year must be submitted during December, 1982).

(2) The mid-model year report required by this part for each current model year must be submitted during the month of July (e.g., the mid-model year report for the 1983 model year must be submitted during July 1983).

(3) Each supplementary report must be submitted in accordance with § 537.8(c).

(c) Each report required by this part must:

(1) Identify the report as a pre-model year report, mid-model year report, or supplementary report as appropriate;

(2) Identify the manufacturer submitting the report;

(3) State the full name, title, and address of the official responsible for preparing the report;

(4) Be submitted on CD-ROM for confidential reports provided in accordance with Part 537.12 and by email for non-confidential (i.e., redacted) versions of reports. The content of reports must be provided in a pdf or MS Word format except for the information required in 537.7 which must be provided in a MS Excel format. Submit 2 copies of the CD-ROM to: Administrator, National Highway Traffic Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20590, and submit reports electronically to the following secure email address: [email protected];

(5) Identify the current model year;

(6) Be written in the English language; and

(7)(i) Specify any part of the information or data in the report that the manufacturer believes should be withheld from public disclosure as trade secret or other confidential business information.

(ii) With respect to each item of information or data requested by the manufacturer to be withheld under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and 15 U.S.C. 2005(d)(1), the manufacturer shall:

(A) Show that the item is within the scope of sections 552(b)(4) and 2005(d)(1);

(B) Show that disclosure of the item would result in significant competitive damage;

(C) Specify the period during which the item must be withheld to avoid that damage; and

(D) Show that earlier disclosure would result in that damage.

(d) Beginning with model year 2023, each manufacturer shall generate reports required by this part using the NHTSA CAFE Projections Reporting Template (OMB Control No. 2127-0019, NHTSA Form 1474). The template is a fillable form.

(1) Select the option to identify the report as a pre-model year report, mid-model year report, or supplementary report as appropriate;

(2) Complete all required information for the manufacturer and for all vehicles produced for the current model year required to comply with CAFE standards. Identify the manufacturer submitting the report, including the full name, title, and address of the official responsible for preparing the report and a point of contact to answer questions concerning the report.

(3) Use the template to generate confidential and non-confidential reports for all the domestic and import passenger cars and light truck fleet produced by the manufacturer for the current model year. Manufacturers must submit a request for confidentiality in accordance with part 512 of this chapter to withhold projected production sales volume estimates from public disclosure. If the request is granted, NHTSA will withhold the projected production sales volume estimates from public disclose until all the vehicles produced by the manufacturer have been made available for sale (usually one year after the current model year).

(4) Submit confidential reports and requests for confidentiality to NHTSA on CD-ROM in accordance with Part 537.12. Email copies of non-confidential (i.e., redacted) reports to NHTSA's secure email address: [email protected]. Requests for confidentiality must be submitted in a PDF or MS Word format. Submit 2 copies of the CD-ROM to: Administrator, National Highway Traffic Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, and submit emailed reports electronically to the following secure email address: [email protected];

(5) Confidentiality Requests. Manufacturers can withhold information on projected production sales volumes under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and 15 U.S.C. 2005(d)(1). In accordance, the manufacturer must:

(i) Show that the item is within the scope of sections 552(b)(4) and 2005(d)(1);

(ii) Show that disclosure of the item would result in significant competitive damage;

(iii) Specify the period during which the item must be withheld to avoid that damage; and

(iv) Show that earlier disclosure would result in that damage.

(e) Each report required by this part must be based upon all information and data available to the manufacturer 30 days before the report is submitted to the Administrator.

[47 FR 34986, Aug. 12, 1982, as amended at 75 FR 25728, May 7, 2010; 77 FR 63198, Oct. 15, 2012; 85 FR 25276, Apr. 30, 2020]