The EU established Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 concerning vehicle noise in 2014. This regulation includes provisions for acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS) in Annex VIII. This document summarizes Commission objectives and plans with regard to the draft UN Regulation on this same subject.

Proposal to update and clarify the regulation. The proposal refines definitions, removes the “AWD” abbeviation for “audible warning device” to avoid confusion with its more common use for “all wheel drive”, adds T category agricultural vehicles to the scope, modifies some administrative communications, and proposes three-direction acoustic measurements. The proposal also aims to structure the regulation to enable its application to additional sound warning devices not presently regulated at the international level, excluding acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS) which will be subject to a separate regulation on minimum vehicle sound levels.

Description of an accident wherein a blind person was killed by a truck backing up with its reverse-mode sound signal deactivated and of possible policy responses in Japan.

World Blind Union comments opposing the current provisions of the draft UN Regulation on quiet vehicle minimum sound levels, especially with regard to the effectiveness of the AVAS parameters, inclusion of “pause button”, and absence of stationary (“idling”) vehicle sound requirement.

Presentation of research conducted by the World Blind Union and National Federation of the Blind in the United States to validate the effectiveness of the proposed minimum sound levels for quiet vehicles at 10 and 20 km/h. The researchers concluded that the proposed sounds levels do not add significantly to the detectability of an approaching vehicle by a blind pedestrian and that internal combustion engine vehicles were detected substantially sooner than quiet vehicles equipped with the proposed acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS).

Presentation by Dr. Edward C. Bell, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness, Louisiana Tech University.

Table of potential areas for future GRB work prepared during an informal meeting held in Paris during 2-3 July 2015.

Presentation on China’s international noise standards working group activities and program for future development of vehicle noise and silencing system durability requirements.

WBU and European Blind Union statement critical of the current draft UN Regulation for failing to adequately address the needs of the visually impaired.

Final proposal as agreed within the informal working group for presentation to GRB.

Working draft of the proposed regulation to require minimum sound levels for electric and other quiet vehicles as developed during the 4th session of the QRTV informal working group.

Presentation of WBU testing of AVAS as proposed by the draft UN Regulation (i.e., 50/56 DBA). Based upon this research, the WBU states the the proposed AVAS requirement would have little impact on the sound-recognition of quiet vehicles.

Table comparing the provisions of the proposed US Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 141 on minimum sound requirements for electric and hybrid vehicles with the draft UN Regulation on vehicles with reduced audibility.

“Cleaned-up” version of the draft text as developed during the 3rd session of the QRTV informal group.

Working draft version pursuant to the 3rd REG58-QRTV informal working group session.

Test procedure proposal updated with comments from the 2nd REG58-QRTV group session.

Working draft pursuant to the second REG58-QRTV informal working group session.

Draft proposal for minimum sound requirements (via an audible alerting signal) for low noise vehicles (e.g., electric vehicles).

Draft text that would allow the installation and use of a prescribed “pause button” for the temporary deactivation of an audible vehicle alerting system (AVAS) while prohibiting any other form of deactivation.

Revised draft minutes posted on 21 January 2015.