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NY M87863




November 22, 2006

CLA-2-84:RR:NC:1:120 M87863

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 8423.82.0050

Mr. Scott E. Caudill
Takata Holdings, Inc.
4611 Wiseman Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78251

RE: The tariff classification of a seat weight sensor rail assembly from Mexico.

Dear Mr. Caudill:

In your letter dated October 27, 2006 you requested a tariff classification ruling.

The merchandise under consideration is a seat weight sensor rail assembly (SWS), which is used to measure and continually monitor the weight of the passenger sitting in the front passenger seat of a motor vehicle.

The seat weight sensor rail assembly consists of two rail brackets, two lever arms, two pivot bolts, two load pins, and one weight sensor assembly, all contained within a base frame of metal. The weight sensor assembly incorporates a sensor plate, four strain gauges, and a central processing unit (CPU). When installed in a car, two sensor rail assemblies (inboard and outboard) are affixed underneath the front passenger seat.

When the occupant utilizes the SWS equipped seat, his/her weight displaces the lever arms, which are mounted on the rail brackets, held in place by the load pin, and allowed to rotate by the pivot bolt. The transferred occupant load weight on these brackets displaces the strain gauges of the weight sensor assembly, thus measuring the weight of the passenger. In order to compensate for environmental fluctuations which may affect the flexibility of the strain gauge, temperature data is also taken by a thermistor mounted on the sensor plate. The CPU processes and monitors these readings, and digitally transmits the data via a wiring harness to an Occupant Position Detection Sensor (OPDS). There is, however, no readout, digital or otherwise, to show what data has been collected.

The OPDS forwards all of the aggregate information to the vehicle restrain control module (RCM), which then decides, based on the weight of the seat occupant, whether or not to deploy the pretensioner seatbelts and the airbags. The airbag will only be deployed if the passenger weight is 80 pounds or greater.

The applicable subheading for the seat weight sensor rail assembly will be 8423.82.0050, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: Weighing machinery (excluding balances of a sensitivity of 5 cg or greater), including weight-operated counting or checking machines; weighing machines weights of all kinds; parts of weighing machinery: Other weighing machinery: Having a maximum weighing capacity exceeding 30 kg but not exceeding 5000 kg: Other. The rate of duty will be Free.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Denise Faingar at 646-733-3010.

Sincerely,

Robert B. Swierupski
Director,

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