Proposal to require seat belt components such as retractors to remain functional if damaged during the load-retention test according to Annex 9 of UN R17. Such components have occasionally been damaged during testing such that their functionality has been impaired. In order to ensure adequate occupant safety, this proposal would require all safety-belt components to be included in the test installation and require post-test inspection to confirm the continued functionality.
117. The representative of the United States of America presented proposals on ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/141 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/142 under agenda items 4.8.15 and 4.7.16, to amend UN Regulations Nos. 16 and 17. The World Forum recommended their submission to AC.1 for voting.
19. The expert from Germany introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2018/4, following the discussions at the December 2018 session of GRSP, which aimed to clarify that safety-belts and their components should continue to function after the load retention test. GRSP adopted the proposal as amended in Annex VI to the session report. The secretariat was requested to submit the proposal as draft 09 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 17 for consideration and vote at the November 2018 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1.
17. The expert from Germany introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2017/25 aimed at clarifying that safety-belts and components should continue to function after the load retention test. He added that according to the current text of the UN Regulation, when safety-belt retractor destruction occurred during a test, there were no means to refuse the type approval. However, the expert from OICA argued that the text proposed still shows misinterpretations. Therefore, the expert from Germany, in cooperation with the experts from CLEPA and OICA introduced GRSP-62-37. The experts from the Russian Federation and Australia remarked on the need to verify cross references to other UN Regulations. The expert from OICA suggested that the proposal should be a new series of amendments instead of a supplement. In the meantime, the expert from France argued that it should be considered as a Supplement because it introduces clarifications. He requested further a study reservation. GRSP agreed to resume discussion on this subject at its May 2018 session and requested the secretariat to distribute GRSP-62-37 with an official symbol. Finally, the expert from Germany proposed to establish a Technical Service Group (TSG) to address interpretation issues, as for UN Regulation No. 44.
| GRSP/2017/25 | |
| GRSP-62-37 | |
| WP.29/2018/142 |