Manufacturing companies and members of the media participating in the upcoming SEMA Media Trade Conference have been e-mailed the preliminary meeting schedules for the upcoming event, taking place Tuesday–Thursday, January 21–23, at the Embassy Suites Orange County Airport North in Santa Ana, California.

The schedules were sent to all media representatives and manufacturers who registered for the event prior to December 16. Manufacturing members who did not receive a schedule should contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org. Members of the press who did not receive a schedule, contact Della Domingo at dellad@sema.org.

Please Note: Due to cancellations or scheduling conflicts, minor changes may occur to your schedule. All media and manufacturers are required to check-in on-site and pick up a final schedule.

The MPMC Media Trade Conference is a unique event that brings together editorial staff from all over the world with racing and high-performance parts manufacturers for three days of face-to-face, 30-minute meetings. The manufacturers that annually participate in the event are members of SEMA's Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC), which is dedicated to provide meaningful solutions to industry-specific issues and challenges to perpetuate the prosperity of motorsports parts manufacturers.

Additional information on the SEMA MPMC Media Trade Conference is available online.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a technical report evaluating the effectiveness of pretensioners and load limiters for seat belts in the front seats of light-duty vehicles (LTVs). Pretensioners retract the belt to remove excess slack when sensing a crash and load limiters allow the belt to slacken when forces on the belt rise above a predetermined level. The NHTSA has encouraged but not required installation of the technology. The equipment was voluntarily installed on all new LTVs by MY ’08. In comparing data for MY ’86–’11 vehicles, the NHTSA concluded that there was nearly a 13% lower fatality risk for front-seat occupants in passenger cars, cross-over vehicles and minivans equipped with the technology. However, there appeared to be little significant benefit for occupants in pickups, SUVs and fullsize vans. Comments on the report are due by April 22, 2014. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a technical report evaluating the effectiveness of pretensioners and load limiters for seat belts in the front seats of light-duty vehicles (LTVs). Pretensioners retract the belt to remove excess slack when sensing a crash and load limiters allow the belt to slacken when forces on the belt rise above a predetermined level. The NHTSA has encouraged but not required installation of the technology. The equipment was voluntarily installed on all new LTVs by MY ’08. In comparing data for MY ’86–’11 vehicles, the NHTSA concluded that there was nearly a 13% lower fatality risk for front-seat occupants in passenger cars, cross-over vehicles and minivans equipped with the technology. However, there appeared to be little significant benefit for occupants in pickups, SUVs and fullsize vans. Comments on the report are due by April 22, 2014. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a technical report evaluating the effectiveness of pretensioners and load limiters for seat belts in the front seats of light-duty vehicles (LTVs). Pretensioners retract the belt to remove excess slack when sensing a crash and load limiters allow the belt to slacken when forces on the belt rise above a predetermined level. The NHTSA has encouraged but not required installation of the technology. The equipment was voluntarily installed on all new LTVs by MY ’08. In comparing data for MY ’86–’11 vehicles, the NHTSA concluded that there was nearly a 13% lower fatality risk for front-seat occupants in passenger cars, cross-over vehicles and minivans equipped with the technology. However, there appeared to be little significant benefit for occupants in pickups, SUVs and fullsize vans. Comments on the report are due by April 22, 2014. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule instructing employers to display an 11x17-in. poster informing workers of their right to unionize and bargain collectively has been overturned. Originally scheduled to take effect in 2011, the rule was widely opposed by business groups, including SEMA, over concerns that it unfairly promotes unionization. Two federal courts struck down the rule and the time period for seeking a U.S. Supreme Court review has now passed. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule instructing employers to display an 11x17-in. poster informing workers of their right to unionize and bargain collectively has been overturned. Originally scheduled to take effect in 2011, the rule was widely opposed by business groups, including SEMA, over concerns that it unfairly promotes unionization. Two federal courts struck down the rule and the time period for seeking a U.S. Supreme Court review has now passed. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Postal Service has increased the price for mailing a first-class letter from $.46 to $.49 beginning January 26, 2014. The cost for mailing a standard-size postcard will increase by one penny to $.34. Pricing for standard mail, periodicals, package services and extra services are scheduled to increase September 26. The increases are intended to generate $2 billion in incremental annual revenue for the USPS.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Postal Service has increased the price for mailing a first-class letter from $.46 to $.49 beginning January 26, 2014. The cost for mailing a standard-size postcard will increase by one penny to $.34. Pricing for standard mail, periodicals, package services and extra services are scheduled to increase September 26. The increases are intended to generate $2 billion in incremental annual revenue for the USPS.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

In comments to a proposal issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, SEMA commended the agency for removing provisions in the regulations that were in conflict with a 2011 law to provide for the titling of street rods and custom vehicles. Currently, the state does not allow the titling of vehicles that do not have "a body, motor and frame manufactured by a motor vehicle manufacturer."

Kit cars and replicas are often fabricated from the “ground up” with new materials that were not manufactured by a recognized car manufacturer. The 2011 law, a product of SEMA-model legislation, provides that vehicles made to resemble older vehicles, but which have been altered from those older vehicle's original manufacturer's designs, or constructed from non-original materials, may be titled as street rods and custom vehicles. The regulatory proposal to ensure vehicles without an original manufacturer body, motor and frame can be titled under the street-rod and custom-vehicle law is expected to be formally adopted in the near future.

The DMV also clarified that vehicles altered from original steel bodies will not be required to carry a title with a “replica” brand. Under a previous interpretation, it appeared that all street rods and custom vehicles would be required to carry a replica title.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

In comments to a proposal issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, SEMA commended the agency for removing provisions in the regulations that were in conflict with a 2011 law to provide for the titling of street rods and custom vehicles. Currently, the state does not allow the titling of vehicles that do not have "a body, motor and frame manufactured by a motor vehicle manufacturer."

Kit cars and replicas are often fabricated from the “ground up” with new materials that were not manufactured by a recognized car manufacturer. The 2011 law, a product of SEMA-model legislation, provides that vehicles made to resemble older vehicles, but which have been altered from those older vehicle's original manufacturer's designs, or constructed from non-original materials, may be titled as street rods and custom vehicles. The regulatory proposal to ensure vehicles without an original manufacturer body, motor and frame can be titled under the street-rod and custom-vehicle law is expected to be formally adopted in the near future.

The DMV also clarified that vehicles altered from original steel bodies will not be required to carry a title with a “replica” brand. Under a previous interpretation, it appeared that all street rods and custom vehicles would be required to carry a replica title.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.