5. The Chair recalled discussions at the 116th session of GRSG on the proposed amendments of the requirements in Annex 11 of UN Regulation No. 107 on the minimum mass for the front axle of articulated vehicles of Class I (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/95, para.5). The proposed amendments have been issued as official working documents ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/99, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/100 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/101 for consideration and adoption by WP.29 and the Administrative Committee AC.1 of the 1958 Agreement at their November 2019 sessions. The expert from the United Kingdom recalled his study reservations on braking performance and braking stability. GRSG decided to keep the documents on the WP.29 agenda as further amendments were always possible, if needed.

6. The Secretary of the Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP) informed GRSG on the establishment of an Informal Working Group (IWG) on securing of children in busses and coaches. He referenced to the discussions at the sixty-fifth GRSP session calling for the establishment of a new UN Regulation covering this issue (see also ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/22, para.3). He further recalled that the scope of UN Regulations Nos. 44 and 129 were limited to vehicles of Category M1. GRSP was considering an extension of the scope to include also Categories M2 and M3 vehicles. He further informed GRSG that WP.29 had already endorsed the mandate and the new IWG would present its terms of reference as official document to next GRSP session. He finally recalled that work on this topic would request combined expertise of both GRSG and GRSP.

7. The expert from Germany informed that European Union legislation would require the use of child restraint systems for transport of children in busses and coaches. However, based on the current design and installation of seats and their safety belts several issues were raised for vehicles of Categories M2 and M3, which requested more considerations. GRSG acknowledged the high importance of the securing of children in busses and coaches and decided to keep this element on its agenda for the next meeting.

8. The expert from OICA presented ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2019/30 on the position of escape hatches on M2 buses of Classes A and B in the transition from the 05 and 06 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 107. Following clarification on the positioning of escape hatches in the vehicles concerned and adjustment of language used (GRSG-117-54), GRSG adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2019/30 as amended and reproduced in Annex II to this report. The secretariat was requested to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 as draft Supplement 7 to the 06 series of amendments, Supplement 2 to the 07 series of amendments and Supplement 2 to the 08 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 107 for consideration at their March 2020 sessions.

9. The expert from Spain introduced GRSG-117-03 on a proposal for an amendment to UN Regulation No. 107 aiming at prevention of movements of vehicles of categories M2 and M3 whilst their lifts or ramps were used. GRSG agreed to resume discussions at its next session based on an official document.

10. The expert from France introduced GRSG-117-07 on national legislation for autonomous urban shuttles with a capacity for transport of nine to sixteen passengers both in seated and standing positions. He highlighted that this national legislation was based on principles of UN Regulation No. 107 for vehicles of categories M₂ and M₃ Class A with several derogations related inter alia to the minimum number of seats or the width of the service door. He further highlighted the need for amendments related to braking systems, steering controls and stability evaluations in case of autonomous operations. He informed GRSG that test procedures were based on UN Regulations Nos. 151 and [152] as well as on European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP) protocols. Additional elements such as process audit, cyber security and connectivity had been added to the national approval requirements. GRSG showed high interest in these latest developments and engaged in a discussion on various related topics such as the need for a new vehicle category, monitoring of operations by a control centre or the need of Data Storage Systems for Automated Driving (DSSAD). GRSG acknowledged the high importance of the new technology of autonomous shuttles and decided to keep this item on its agenda for the next meeting.