DOT Certification Manufacturer responsibilities
 

It is the responsibility of the vehicle and motorcycle equipment manufacturer to demonstrate full compliance with the applicable FMVSSs minimum implementation requirements for each motor vehicle and equipment item. It's a self-proving procedure but it's not a recognized procedure. NHTSA does not issue approval labels or trademarks before or after the vehicle or equipment is first sold. In order to provide proof, any action considered appropriate may be taken. This usually means following FMVSS laboratory tests or performing other research or analysis to ensure that the product is fully fit.

 

Manufacturers must not only focus on the initial certification, but also monitor the continuous investigation of vehicles and motorcycle equipment in product operation. To accomplish this, an effective quality control program must be implemented to periodically inspect and test randomly selected vehicles or motorcycle equipment from the assembly line to prove that the initial execution was carried to all other units.

 

The OVSC Office does not specify the type of quality control procedures that manufacturers should use. This decision is delegated to the manufacturer. If the vehicle and motorcycle equipment items are designed with a reasonable safety factor in mind, the manufacturer may choose to have a selective sample monitoring plan to show that production changes will not cause the vehicle and motorcycle equipment items to deviate from the full terms. On the other hand, if the safety limit is less than the standard necessary to perform, there will be a more demanding quality control procedure.