UN Regulation No. 138
Quiet Road Transport Vehicles

Series of Amendments, Supplements, and Corrigenda

Proposal for the establishment of a new UN Regulation governing the approval of audible vehicle alerting systems for quiet vehicles moving at low speeds. This proposal can be considered as the first phase of the regulation. In response to concerns raised by the World Blind Union, GRB agreed to extend the mandate of the informal working group that developed this text in order to consider further measures to address the WBU concerns.

66. The World Forum considered the draft proposal for a new Regulation concerning the approval of quiet road transport vehicles (QRTV) under item 4.13.1 and recommended its submission to AC.1 for voting.

16. The experts from France and Germany, in their capacity of Co-chairs of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on a Quiet Road Transport Vehicles (QRTV) Regulation under 1958 Agreement, reported on the status of QRTV-related work (GRB-63-13). GRB noted that WP.29, at its March 2016 session, would consider a draft QRTV Regulation (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2016/26). At its November 2015 session, WP.29 decided to extend the mandate IWG on QRTV Regulation with a view to addressing concerns raised by WBU (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1118, paras. 24, 100-102), namely sound pressure levels, optional installation of the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) pause switches and sound emissions when stationary. IWG on QRTV Regulation would also consider the possible extension of the scope of the QRTV regulation to vehicles of L categories.

17. To reflect the above new tasks, the experts from France and Germany proposed to update the Terms of Reference (ToR) of IWG on QRTV Regulation (GRB-63-14). GRB adopted the revised ToR, as reproduced in Annex VII.

20. GRB noted that the draft Regulation on quiet road transport vehicles (QRTV) (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2016/26) had been adopted by WP.29 and AC.1 at their March 2016 sessions and would enter into force as Regulation No. 138 in October 2016 (Depository Notification C.N.125.2016.TREATIES-XI.B.16 of 5 April 2016).

Proposal to refine the scope by replacing the phrase “can travel” by “can be propelled”. The use of “travel” in the scope can be interpreted to include vehicles using using electrical systems for purposes other than propulsion (e.g., energy recuperation) that fall outside the test conditions of UN R138.

Proposal to refine the scope by replacing the phrase “can travel” by “can be propelled”. The use of “travel” in the scope can be interpreted to include vehicles using using electrical systems for purposes other than propulsion (e.g., energy recuperation) that fall outside the test conditions of UN R138. The proposal further amends:

1. Paragraph 2.7. to make clear the “pause function” refers to systems that allow the driver to deactivate an AVAS system;
2. Paragraph 6.2.6.: The vehicle operator shall not deactivate AVAS while driving. However, the manufacturer shall be enabled to activate or deactivate AVAS, including automatically, by regional coding according to legal provisions of various markets.
3. Paragraph 11.: the transitional provisions were added according to the rules of WP.29 for new series of amendments. Paragraph 11.6. has been added to maintain approvals that also comply with the new series of amendments, as is the case for vehicles that do not have a pause function according to the newly suggested paragraph 6.2.6.
4. Annex 1, Addendum to the communication form No …, Technical Information: technical information regarding “Pause switch (yes/no)” will be no longer necessary.

67. The World Forum considered the draft amendments under agenda items 4.6.1 to 4.6.6 and recommended their submission to AC.1 for voting, subject to the following modification of the title on top of page 2 of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/7 (agenda item 4.6.6): “01 series of amendments to Regulation No. 138 (Quiet Road Transport Vehicles (QRTV))”.

Proposal to

1. exempt hybrid vehicles that do not provide valid test results (e.g., internal combustion engine active under test conditions)
2. clarify the text concerning permissible AVAS operating conditions
to differentiate indoor and outdoor facility requirements (e.g., weather station requirement) and
3. update flowcharts in Annex 3 in line with text.
4. add a footnote to the scope to exempt electrified vehicles where the internal combustion engine (ICE) operates under the test conditions
5. clarify the intention of paragraph 6.2.:
   • that AVAS may be operational outside the specified speed ranges (e.g., in the USA where the speed range extends to 30 km/h),
   • align maximum sound with UN R51.03 ASEP, and
   • explicitly specify that the AVAS may function even when the ICE is running
6. clarify under paragraph 6.2.6. that a manufacturer may install an attenuation to enable the system to operate at different sound levels
7. split and clarify indoor and outdoor testing specifications under Annex 3 paragraph 2.2. to account for different needs such as a weather station
8. amend the flowcharts in the Annex 3 Appendix to better reflect the regulation text
9. align the transitional provisions in the 01 series of amendments with the format introduced following Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement.

Proposal to clarify that it is not necessary to require an ISO 10844 asphalt track surface in cases where the vehicle is at a standstill provided that the surface is dense and without substantial absorption characteristics.

Proposal to bring the latest ISO 10844 standard test surface into the Regulation.

Proposal to specify the working principles of an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) and to reduce measurement uncertainties during the measurement of the one third octave bands.

Updated proposal for a 02 series of amendments to specify the working principles of an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) and to reduce measurement uncertainties during the measurement of the one third octave bands.

Proposal to specify the working principles of an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) and to reduce measurement uncertainties during the measurement of the one third octave bands.