{"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.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION","name":"Transportation Department","id":492,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/transportation-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/492","parent_id":null,"slug":"transportation-department"},{"raw_name":"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration","name":"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration","id":345,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-highway-traffic-safety-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/345","parent_id":492,"slug":"national-highway-traffic-safety-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2000/10/20/00-27038.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":571,"title":49}],"citation":"65 FR 63014","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective Date: The effective date of the final rule is September 1, 2001.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. NHTSA 99-5063","Notice 2"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"00-27038","effective_on":"2001-09-01","end_page":63021,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2000/10/20/00-27038.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/10/20/00-27038/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-interior-trunk-release","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/00-27038?publication_date=2000-10-20","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2000-10-20/00-27038/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":8,"page_views":{"count":42196,"last_updated":"2026-04-10 14:15:18 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2000-10-20/pdf/00-27038.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2000-10-20","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2000/10/20/00-27038.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":63014,"subtype":null,"title":"Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Interior Trunk Release","toc_doc":"Interior trunk release","toc_subject":"Motor vehicle safety standards:","topics":["Imports","Incorporation by reference","Motor vehicle safety","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Rule","volume":65}