World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations | Session 165 | 10-13 Mar 2015
Geneva
Agenda Item 3.5.3.
Working Party on Noise (GRB) (Sixty-first session, 27-29 January 2015)

31. The GRB Chair, Mr. S. Ficheux (France), reported on the results achieved by GRB during its sixty-first session (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/59). In particular, he reported on the adoption of further amendments to the new 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 as well as on the progress in preparing a draft Regulation on Quiet Road Transport Vehicles (QRTV) under the 1958 Agreement.

32. He further informed the World Forum that GRB had decided to combine all amendment proposals for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 into a single document, which would be submitted to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration and vote at their June 2015 sessions. GRB thus, recommended that WP.29 not consider the first set of proposals in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2015/3 at this session and to wait for the full package of 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 at the June 2015 session. WP.29 agreed with this recommendation.

33. The representative of the WBU recalled the specific needs of people with impaired vision and of other vulnerable road users for the audibility of electric and hybrid vehicles. He requested that the Audible Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) of QRTV fulfil the following conditions:
(a) an adequate level of sound allowing blind people to detect the presence, location and movement of a QRTV;
(b) that AVAS must be on while the vehicle is stationary; and
(c) that the driver would not be able to deactivate (or pause) AVAS.

WP.29 took note of this statement and invited GRB to take these three conditions into consideration when developing the QRTV Regulation.