Working Party on Noise | Session 58 | 2-4 Sep 2013
Geneva
Agenda Item 3. (b)
New limit values

10. GRB resumed consideration on vehicle categories and their limit values on the basis of the proposal drafted by the group of interested experts (GRB-58-04). The expert from Japan gave a presentation (GRB-58-14) on light vehicles of category N1. Accordingly, he introduced GRB-58-06-Rev.1 amending GRB-58-04. The experts from France and Germany supported the proposal (GRB-58-06-Rev.1), which was incorporated into GRB-58-17-Rev.1 after the discussion. The expert from China partially supported the proposal from Japan. However, he showed in GRB-58-10 that the position of the engine is more relevant for vehicle categories M1 and N1 with a GVW ≤ 2.5 t, with the engine on the front axle and a rear axle drive. He underlined that these kinds of vehicles for these technical reasons produce a higher noise emission and suggested higher limit values (GRB-58-08). He also urged the need of vehicles categorization through their GVW instead of power mass ratio (GRB-58-09), aiming at provisions encompassing vehicle fleets at global level. The expert from France suggested clarifying the correspondence of the proposed vehicle classifications tabled by the expert from China and those proposed in GRB-58-04. The expert from the Netherland expressed concern that the proposals prepared by the expert from China could introduce design restrictions. The expert from Germany proposed further study in the framework of the interested group of experts on the basis of more data provided by the expert from China. He also suggested a three steps approach in finding a common agreement on: (i) vehicle category and subcategory, (ii) measurement method and finally on (iii) limits that eventually could match different scenarios.

11. GRB reproduced the whole discussion on the draft 03 series of amendments in GRB-58-17-Rev.1 as a basis of discussion of the informal group of experts and agreed to resume consideration on this subject at its January 2014 session (see para. 7 above). GRB also agreed to simplify the agenda of the next session by keeping as reference only GRB-58-08, GRB-58-09, GRB-58-10, GRB-58-14 and GRB-58-17-Rev.1.

Documentation
GRB-54-03 German Position on new limit values for 03 series of amendments to R51 (Germany)
GRB-57-07 UN R51: Sub-categories table suggestion from China (CATARC)
GRB-57-19 OICA position on Vehicle Classification, Limits and Dates in UN Regulation No. 51.03 (OICA)
GRB-57-23 Vehicle Noise: Analysis of Swiss database and EC, Germany, and Japan noise proposals (FOEN)
GRB-58-04 Proposal for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51
GRB-58-06 Proposal for draft 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (Japan)
GRB-58-06/Rev.1 Revised proposal for draft 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (Japan)
GRB-58-08 Comments on Japanese noise-limit value suggestion of commercial vehicles (China)
GRB-58-09 Noise limit values in draft Chinese regulation GB 1495 and UN R51 values (China)
GRB-58-10 Noise-limit values and Chinese vehicle categories (CATARC)
GRB-58-14 Categorization of Light N1 Vehicles (JASIC)
GRB-58-17 Proposal for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51
GRB-58-17/Rev.1 Proposal for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51: Revised
GRB/2012/7 Proposal for the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (Japan)