40. The expert from the Russian Federation, chairing the IWG on AECS, presented an updated proposal of draft UN Regulation on AECS (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2017/12). As Secretary of the IWG on AECS, the expert from OICA introduced GRSG-112-15 proposing some further editorial corrections to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2017/12. The expert from the Russian Federation introduced GRSG-112-27 clarifying mainly the scope and definitions of the draft UN Regulation. She informed GRSG that from, a technical point of view, the corridor of sled pulse (60g) specified in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2017/12 was severe enough, but taking into account the importance and urgency for the adoption of the new UN Regulation by all Contracting Parties, the Russian Federation would support the more stringent corridor (65g) in line with the EU legislation. The expert from OICA reiterated a concern about the economic burden for technical services and laboratories offering the more stringent tests due to the considerable costs of test equipment performing such acceleration/declaration of 65g.

41. Following a detailed consideration of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2017/12, GRSG adopted the new UN Regulation on AECS as reproduced in GRSG-112-42, subject to a final review at its October 2017 session of the official translations into the French and Russian languages. The GRSG Chair thanked again for the excellent work done by the IWG and for the acceptance by the Russian Federation to support the final proposal. The secretariat was requested to submit the adopted proposal to WP.29 and AC.1 as new draft UN Regulation on AECS for consideration at their November 2017 sessions, subject to a final review at the forthcoming GRSG session.

44. On behalf of the IWG on AECS, the expert from the Russian Federation presented a draft UN Regulation on AECS (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2016/19) and GRSG-111-06 with a detailed justification for the proposal. He introduced GRSG-111-07 with some further amendments proposed by the IWG on AECS. He drew the attention of GRSG to the limited scope of the new Regulation. He added that several functionalities were not covered by the provisions of the draft UN Regulation such as

1. the communication module functionality and communication antenna functionality unless otherwise prescribed in the Regulation,
2. the additional data to the Minimum Set of Data (MSD) to be convened to Public Service Answering Party (PSAP),
3. the format of the data, the mechanism and logic of data transmission, data exchange protocol, (iv) the operation modes and conditions of transitions between such modes,
4. performance of the test call and test data transfer, the response to protocol commands received from infrastructure and network registration logic, privacy, data protection and personal data processing as well as
5. Periodical Technical Inspection (PTI). These functionalities would have to be resolved or approved on a national/regional level.

45. GRSG welcomed the document and acknowledged the work of the IWG on AECS. GRSG noted a number of comments on the scope of the new Regulation and reviewed the proposal as reflected in GRSG-111-38. The expert from the Russian Federation introduced GRSG-111-13 clarifying that the draft UN Regulation does not apply to AECD/AECS functionality assessment in case of vehicle rollover. The expert from Japan presented study results on the peak pulse in comparison with three crash test methods (GRSG-111-26). He concluded that the corridor of the sled pulse (60g) specified in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2016/19 was severe enough for real world crashes. The experts from the Russian Federation and Switzerland supported that position. The expert from EC explained that his organization had already issued the EU legislation with a pulse peak of 65g and, thus, he would not be in the position to support the proposal. He raised a study reservation to consider in detail the study results of GRSG-111-26. GRSG agreed to keep GRSG-111-26 on the agenda as a reference document.

46. The expert from OICA gave a presentation on the current status of regulatory developments and proposed possible steps forward (GRSG-111-39). He introduced GRSG-111-15 which proposes further amendments to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2016/19 aimed at introducing type approval requirements for Automatic Emergency Call Component (AECC). The proposal received general support.

47. GRSG welcomed GRSG-111-04 which lists ITU recommendations referenced in draft UN Regulation on AECS that specify the speech communication requirements for emergency calls originating from vehicles. The expert from ITU introduced the ITU Conformity Assessment Steering Committee (GRSG-111-40).

48. Finally, GRSG agreed that an extension of the mandate of the IWG on AECS was not necessary and to resume consideration of this subject at its next session in April 2017. GRSG endorsed the following suggestions by the Chair:

1. Experts were invited to send their written comments on the AECC requirements (GRSG-111-15) to the expert from OICA by end of November 2016 at the latest;
2. Experts were invited to participate in a task force meeting organized by OICA and scheduled to be held in January 2017 to discuss the remaining open issues (GRSG-111-38);
3. Contracting Parties were invited to consider, at the highest level, possible solutions to resolve the incoherence of their positions on the pulse peak of 60g versus 65g.

47. The expert from the Russian Federation, chairing the IWG on AECS, reported on the progress of work made by the group (GRSG-110-22). He drew the attention of GRSG to the controversial discussion of the experts on the performance requirements in the case of testing the resistance of accident emergency call devices to mechanical impact (pulse test). He presented the new draft UN Regulation on AECS (GRSG-110-15) and stated that this proposal was not yet the final version. He informed GRSG about the group’s decision to go forward in a two-step approach and announced the intention of the IWG to finalize the basic proposal by mid-July 2016 for submission to and adoption by GRSG at its next session in October 2016 on the basis of an official document.

48. GRSG welcomed the proposal submitted by the IWG. The expert from EC informed GRSG that the EU legislation on emergency call systems (eCall) had been based on an acceleration/deceleration of 65g. The expert from the Netherlands underlined the importance of AECS as a vehicle safety feature and the need to ensure their functionality in case of severe crashes. Thus, he expressed his preference to align the performance requirements of draft UN Regulation on AECS with those of the EU regulation. The experts from Japan and the Russian Federation raised their concern about the considerable costs of test equipment performing such acceleration/declaration of 65g. They were of the opinion that GRSG should take into account the economic burden for technical services. As a compromise solution, the expert from OICA suggested going forward in a two-step approach and adopting the new UN Regulation with the 60g value and subsequently to adopt the more stringent performance value of 65g as new series of amendments to the Regulation. The expert from CLEPA endorsed that position.

49. As GRSG could not find an agreement on this subject, the Chair of GRSG invited all experts to check on their national level the feasibility and durability of the 65g pulse test equipment and to send their comments including justifications on GRSG-110-15 at the latest by the end of June 2016 to the Secretary/Chair of the IWG. He also invited the experts from the EC, Japan and the Russian Federation to find compromise agreement on the performance value for the pulse test considering the real benefit in life savings between the two pulses. GRSG endorsed that suggestion and agreed to resume discussion at the forthcoming session of GRSG on the basis of an official document.