Informal Document GRSG-116-25

Proposal to refine the provisions on the number and position of emergency exits of vehicles of Classes A and B. The transition from 05-series to 06-series of amendments is based on the final proposal of the Informal Group for Service Doors, Windows, and Emergency Exits (SDWEE) adopted by GRSG as document GRSG/2012/15. One of the consequences of the new wording is that, if one escape hatch is fitted, it must be positioned in the middle third of the passenger compartment. For Class A and B vehicles with sometimes short passenger compartments (< 3 m), this can be problematic because the middle third position can overlap with the position of the service door, close to which lateral roof reinforcements are necessary to provide structural stability and meet provisions of UN R66. Given that the exact position on shorter vehicles is of lower relevance than for long compartments, this proposal would provide latitude on the exact placement for Class A and B vehicles.

8. The expert from OICA presented GRSG-116-25 on specific concerns for the position of escape hatches on M2 buses of Class B in the transition from the 05 and 06 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 107. She added that the location of such hatches was not relevant, particularly for short vehicles with a passenger compartment length of approximately 2.5 m. Thus, she proposed to amend the provisions of Annex 3 on the number and position of emergency exits of vehicles of Classes A and B (GRSG-116-24). GRSG noted general support for the proposal and some requests for clarification. The expert from OICA invited all interested experts to provide her with their comments. Thus, she volunteered to submit a revised proposal for consideration at the next session as an official document.

For escape hatches on buses of Classes A and B, proposal to allow a maximum length of 1600 mm equally spaced to cover the shortest vehicles, so the allowed space should be the maximum of either the third of the length or 1600 mm. This proposal will not affect the positioning requirements for any mid-sized and larger buses.

8. The expert from OICA presented ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2019/30 on the position of escape hatches on M2 buses of Classes A and B in the transition from the 05 and 06 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 107. Following clarification on the positioning of escape hatches in the vehicles concerned and adjustment of language used (GRSG-117-54), GRSG adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2019/30 as amended and reproduced in Annex II to this report. The secretariat was requested to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 as draft Supplement 7 to the 06 series of amendments, Supplement 2 to the 07 series of amendments and Supplement 2 to the 08 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 107 for consideration at their March 2020 sessions.