Working Party on Noise | Session 60 | 1-3 Sep 2014
Geneva
Agenda Item 4.
Regulation No. 51 (Noise of M and N categories of vehicles)

5. On behalf of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on UN Regulations Nos. 51 and 59, the expert from OICA introduced a revised proposal for the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 51 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2014/5). He explained that the text of this proposal was harmonized, as far as possible, with European Union (EU) Regulation No. 540/2014 on the sound level of motor vehicles and of replacement silencing systems, including a three-phase reduction of the sound level limits. GRB noted that, following the entry into force of phase 2 for new types of vehicles, EU would undertake a detailed study to review the limits of phase 3 and to correct these values, if deemed to be necessary. Other Contracting Parties were invited to conduct similar studies in the future and to transmit their outcomes to GRB. GRB stressed the importance of aligning the timeline for introduction of phases 1-3 of the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 51 with the step-by-step entry into force of the above EU Regulation. For this reason, GRB agreed that all transitional provisions of paragraph 11. of the proposal should refer to specific dates(i.e., dates identical to those of the EU phase-in). Finally, GRB adopted the proposal, as amended by Annex III to this report, and mandated the secretariat to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration and vote at their March 2015 sessions.

6. The expert from Japan suggested that references to ISO 10844:2011 be put in square brackets for the time being and requested GRB to revert to this issue at the next session.

7. The expert from OICA briefly introduced some additional elements which had been identified by IWG on UN Regulations Nos. 51 and 59 for further consideration and possible inclusion into the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 51 (GRB-60-01). The expert from ISO informed GRB about a new version of ISO 10844:2014 which added a few editorial modifications to the previous version ISO 10844:2014 without changes in the fundamental requirements (GRB-60-17). The expert from China introduced GRB-60-10-Rev.1 and GRB-60-15 in which he suggested higher limit values and a new classification for vehicles of a specific category available on the Chinese market. GRB requested the IWG on UN Regulations Nos. 51 and 59 to consider all these additional aspects and to prepare proposals for the next session, if necessary.

8. GRB noted that the additional sound emission provisions contained in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2011/64 had been incorporated into the revised proposal for the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 51 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2014/5) and decided to remove ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2011/64 from the agenda.

Documentation
GRB-60-01 Proposal for additional amendments to the draft the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51
GRB-60-10/Rev.1 China Proposal for treatment of Micro-Van and Micro-Truck classes under UN R51 (CATARC)
GRB-60-15 China Proposal for a harmonized M1 classification and limits (CATARC)
GRB-60-17 ISO 10844: Comparison of 2014 version against 2011 version (ISO)
GRB-60-17 ISO 10844: Comparison of 2014 version against 2011 version (ISO)
GRB/2014/5 Proposal for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51
WP.29/2011/64 Proposal for amendments to Regulation No. 51