Counter-proposal from OICA to a German proposal (GRSP/2019/18) to address vehicles with active suspensions and amend the definitions and specifications and Annex 1, Part 1. This document supersedes previous OICA submissions GRSP-67-07 and GRSP-68-18.

4. GRSP Chair, informed GRSP of the discussion held at the March 2021 session of the Executive Committee of the 1998 Agreement (AC.3) (see ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1157, paras. 143 to 148). GRSP Chair recalled GRSP that AC.3 agreed to defer vote under this agenda item to its June 2021 session pending further discussions concerning the proposal for Amendment 3 to UN Global Technical Regulation (UN GTR) No. 9 at the next session of GRSP, scheduled to take place in May 2021. He also reminded that AC.3 requested GRSP to give highest priority to the task and to report back to AC.3 and WP.29 with the greatest urgency on the progress towards a resolution of outstanding matters in this context. He continued that to that end, he had contacted the concerned Contracting Parties including AC.3 Chair and the GRSP Secretary, to meet at the earliest possible date and asked the new expert representing the United States of America to report on the developments since WP.29. The expert of the United States of America informed GRSP about the meeting of the interested experts held virtually on April 23, when especially the experts from the United States of America and Germany, presented on the findings and conclusions of their respective experts. It was agreed that more discussions are warranted and with inclusion of the industry. During that time, United States of America and Germany continued the dialogue and exchanges of views and technical information to find a solution. She also added that experts met on Monday, May 17, just prior to GRSP meeting and agreed to establish as soon as possible a task force to solve the issue between the May and December 2021 GRSP sessions. She assumed that the first meeting of the task Force would be held on June 14 and that most likely a proposal would be ready by the GRSP meeting in December 2021. The experts from Germany, EC, Canada, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, and Republic of Korea, supported the United States of America approach and underlined the relevance of timing. The expert from the United States of America proposed to include other relevant issues in the programme of work of the Task Force. The expert from OICA stressed the importance not to delay the finalisation of the extension of the impact zone, explaining that this is urgently needed due to the European Union requirements of the General Safety Regulation which are already decided in general (including the application dates), but which are currently under development in the framework of UN Regulation N° 127. He feared that, if such topics are referred back to GTR N°9, then the deadlines would not be respected, creating for industry a legal void. The experts from the Netherlands and the United States of America introduced GRSP-69-43-Rev.1 amending the previous authorization to develop Amendment 3 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/AC.3/31). GRSP recommended on provisional basis ECE/TRANS/WP.29/AC.3/31/Rev.1, as reproduced in Annex II to this report, to provide a revised request of authorization of work to finalize Amendment 3 to UN GTR No. 9 (Pedestrian safety) for consideration to the June 2021 session of AC.3. To ensure the work proceeds in a timely manner, GRSP agreed to establish a Task Force, and it was recommended to withdraw the current proposed Amendment 3 from consideration and vote at the June 2021 session of AC.3. Moreover, GRSP agreed to forward documents under agenda item 11 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2020/9 and GRSP-69-21-Rev.1) to the TF for consideration (see para. 20 below).

Proposal to ensure pedestrian protection across the vehicle height variations that may be produced by an active suspension system.

20. The expert from Germany reiterated his proposal (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18) and referred to agenda item 3(a) (see paragraph 4). The expert from OICA introduced GRSP-67-07 as a counterproposal, aimed at clarifying the issue that vehicle height has an influence on the test results of headform and legform tests, and consequentially all possible vehicle heights up to a driving speed of 11.1 m/s (40 km/h) should be considered to be relevant for impact with a pedestrian. Germany stated its agreement, in general, with the OICA proposal but suggested further clarifications. GRSP agreed to resume discussion at its December 2020 session on the basis of a potentially revised proposal from the experts of Germany, the United Kingdom and OICA.

20. The expert from Germany reiterated his proposal (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18) and referred to agenda item 3(a) (see paragraph 4). The expert from OICA introduced GRSP-68-18 as a counterproposal of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18, tabled by the expert from Germany. He explained that the proposal was reflecting the latest stage of discussions aimed at clarifying the issue that vehicle height has an influence on the test results of headform and legform tests. He also suggested to encompass this issue with ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2020/9. GRSP recalled that this last proposal was prepared by the experts of the Drafting Task Force to align the UN Regulation with the revised General Safety Regulation of the European Union that would enlarge the head impact zone to include the windscreen area. The expert from Republic of Korea suggested that the impact test speed ratio should be aligned to that one identified by the IWG-DPPS (see para. 5 above). Finally, GRSP agreed to resume discussion to the proposals of amendments to the UN Regulation at its May 2021 session.

19. The expert from Germany introduced GRSP-70-17 (superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18), concerning new provisions to cope with Adjustable Ride Height Suspension System (ARHSS). GRSP agreed to distribute GRSP-70-17 with an official symbol at its May 2022 session, as draft 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 127.

Proposal by the expert from EC on behalf of the Drafting Task Force to align the UN Regulation with the revised General Safety Regulation of the European Union – appropriate transitional provisions, and minor adaptations and clarifications to the existing requirements. This proposal will allow contracting parties to apply an enlarged head impact zone for regulatory compliance testing.

21. GRSP noted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2020/9, prepared by the experts of the Drafting Task Force to align the UN Regulation with the revised General Safety Regulation of the European Union that would enlarge the head impact zone to include the windscreen area, and would introduce adaptations and clarifications to the existing requirements as well as appropriate transitional provisions. The expert from the Republic of Korea introduced a presentation (GRSP-67-11), showing test results from simulation and from which, he would propose different test requirements. GRSP agreed to resume consideration on this subject on the basis of a revised text to be prepared by the experts of the Drafting Task Force.

20. The expert from Germany reiterated his proposal (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18) and referred to agenda item 3(a) (see paragraph 4). The expert from OICA introduced GRSP-68-18 as a counterproposal of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18, tabled by the expert from Germany. He explained that the proposal was reflecting the latest stage of discussions aimed at clarifying the issue that vehicle height has an influence on the test results of headform and legform tests. He also suggested to encompass this issue with ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2020/9. GRSP recalled that this last proposal was prepared by the experts of the Drafting Task Force to align the UN Regulation with the revised General Safety Regulation of the European Union that would enlarge the head impact zone to include the windscreen area. The expert from Republic of Korea suggested that the impact test speed ratio should be aligned to that one identified by the IWG-DPPS (see para. 5 above). Finally, GRSP agreed to resume discussion to the proposals of amendments to the UN Regulation at its May 2021 session.

4. GRSP Chair, informed GRSP of the discussion held at the March 2021 session of the Executive Committee of the 1998 Agreement (AC.3) (see ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1157, paras. 143 to 148). GRSP Chair recalled GRSP that AC.3 agreed to defer vote under this agenda item to its June 2021 session pending further discussions concerning the proposal for Amendment 3 to UN Global Technical Regulation (UN GTR) No. 9 at the next session of GRSP, scheduled to take place in May 2021. He also reminded that AC.3 requested GRSP to give highest priority to the task and to report back to AC.3 and WP.29 with the greatest urgency on the progress towards a resolution of outstanding matters in this context. He continued that to that end, he had contacted the concerned Contracting Parties including AC.3 Chair and the GRSP Secretary, to meet at the earliest possible date and asked the new expert representing the United States of America to report on the developments since WP.29. The expert of the United States of America informed GRSP about the meeting of the interested experts held virtually on April 23, when especially the experts from the United States of America and Germany, presented on the findings and conclusions of their respective experts. It was agreed that more discussions are warranted and with inclusion of the industry. During that time, United States of America and Germany continued the dialogue and exchanges of views and technical information to find a solution. She also added that experts met on Monday, May 17, just prior to GRSP meeting and agreed to establish as soon as possible a task force to solve the issue between the May and December 2021 GRSP sessions. She assumed that the first meeting of the task Force would be held on June 14 and that most likely a proposal would be ready by the GRSP meeting in December 2021. The experts from Germany, EC, Canada, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, and Republic of Korea, supported the United States of America approach and underlined the relevance of timing. The expert from the United States of America proposed to include other relevant issues in the programme of work of the Task Force. The expert from OICA stressed the importance not to delay the finalisation of the extension of the impact zone, explaining that this is urgently needed due to the European Union requirements of the General Safety Regulation which are already decided in general (including the application dates), but which are currently under development in the framework of UN Regulation N° 127. He feared that, if such topics are referred back to GTR N°9, then the deadlines would not be respected, creating for industry a legal void. The experts from the Netherlands and the United States of America introduced GRSP-69-43-Rev.1 amending the previous authorization to develop Amendment 3 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/AC.3/31). GRSP recommended on provisional basis ECE/TRANS/WP.29/AC.3/31/Rev.1, as reproduced in Annex II to this report, to provide a revised request of authorization of work to finalize Amendment 3 to UN GTR No. 9 (Pedestrian safety) for consideration to the June 2021 session of AC.3. To ensure the work proceeds in a timely manner, GRSP agreed to establish a Task Force, and it was recommended to withdraw the current proposed Amendment 3 from consideration and vote at the June 2021 session of AC.3. Moreover, GRSP agreed to forward documents under agenda item 11 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/18, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2020/9 and GRSP-69-21-Rev.1) to the TF for consideration (see para. 20 below).