Document WP.29/2018/141
UN R16: Proposal for the 08 series of amendments
Status: Adopted

Proposal to:

  1. harmonize airbag warning labels regarding the correct use of a child restraint system in a seating position equipped with an activated frontal airbag in order to prohibit the display of additional information unrelated to child safety, and
  2. clarify that only a 3-point-belt shall be permitted for the driver seating position in order to address differing interpretations among Technical Services regarding which requirements apply for driver position seat-belt approval.
As from 1 September 2020, authorities will not be obliged to accept applicable type approvals to the preceding series of amendments that were first issued on or after 1 September 2020. As from 1 September 2022, they will not be obliged to accept any applicable approvals to the preceding series. These transitional provisions only apply to vehicles equipped with airbags. Approvals for seat belt and restraint systems remain valid.

Discussions and Outcomes
176th WP.29 session (12-16 Nov 2018)

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.

This proposal (WP.29/2018/141) was adopted by the World Forum. Thirty-seven Contracting Parties out of the 47 applying UN R16 were present for the vote by AC.1. Thirty-seven voted in favor with zero against and zero abstaining.
63rd GRSP session (14-18 May 2018)
GRSP-63-01/Rev.1
GRSP-63-23

18. The expert from Germany introduced GRSP-63-23, to clarify which requirements should be applied to approve the safety-belt of the driver’s. GRSP endorsed the proposal and agreed to finalize its discussion by combining GRSP-63-23 with GRSP-63-01-Rev.1 under agenda item 24 (see para. 42 below).

42. The expert from EC introduced GRSP-63-01-Rev.1, amending ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2017/27 on the information of the airbag warning label about correctly installing CRS on a passenger seat with an activated frontal airbag. GRSP noted that the proposal also incorporated GRSP-63-01-Rev.1 (see para. 18 above). GRSP adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2017/27, as amended by Annex X to the session report. The secretariat was requested to submit the proposal for consideration and vote at the November 2018 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1 as:

  1. Draft 08 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 16
  2. Draft Supplement 15 to the 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 44
  3. Draft Supplement 1 to the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 94
  4. Part of (see paras. 31 and 34 above) draft Supplement 5 to the 01 series of amendments, as part of (see paras. 31 and 34 above) draft Supplement 4 to the 02 series of amendments and as part of (see paras. 31 and 34 above) draft Supplement 1 to the 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 129 and
  5. Draft Supplement 2 to the 01 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 137.

62nd GRSP session (12-15 Dec 2017)
GRSP/2017/27

39. The expert from OICA introduced GRSP-62-14, as an alternative proposal to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2017/27 tabled by the expert from EC, concerning the information in the airbag warning label on the correct installation of CRS on a passenger seat with an activated frontal airbag. He suggested that the proposal should be adopted as a new series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 16 (Safety-belts) instead of a Supplement and to regroup these kind of requirements in UN Regulation No. 16 only. He also underlined the problem of translation in all languages of the detailed information, which makes reference to the warning, that should be contained in the owner’s manual.

40. The expert from Australia explained that his country requires vehicles to be fitted with an airbag warning label through a national rule that requires vehicles to meet UN Regulation No. 94. He added that although his country also had a national rule that incorporates UN Regulation No. 16, this rule does not require vehicles to meet the airbag warning label requirements of UN Regulation No. 16. Therefore, he stated that removing the requirement for an airbag warning label from UN Regulation No. 94 would create a loophole, which would allow vehicles to be supplied to the Australian market without any airbag warning label.

41. GRSP agreed to resume discussion on this subject at its May 2018 session. The secretariat was requested to distribute GRSP-62-14 with an official symbol at the next session awaiting a possible revised proposal submitted by the expert from OICA.