German proposal amending its earlier draft supplement to UN R48 that would introduce provisions for flashing side marker lamps for M2, M3, N2, N3, O3 and O4 category vehicles in order to promote the safety of vulnerable road users by informing them about the intended turns of buses and heavy goods vehicles and their trailers. The change would exempt the proposed requirement from the transitional provisions of the 06 series of amendments.

Proposal to require that side marker lamps mounted on M2, M3, N2, N3, O 3 and O4 vehicles flash simultaneously with the direction-indicator lamps. The aim is to prevent death and injury to cyclists by improving their reaction time through clearer indication of the intended turn of a longer vehicle.

During the 71st session of GRE, the experts from GTB presented the outcome of a study on visibility and glare of automotive low beam headlamps; see informal document GRE-71-32. The study concentrated on levelling in relation to load. The major objectives of the study were to improve the understanding of different factors that influence visibility and glare and to identify results of the study that might reveal alternatives for automatic static levelling. The deciding factors in headlamp glare have been determined to be the vehicle pitch angle, loading conditions and initial headlamp aim. Therefore, this proposal looks at replacing the light source technology and the light source 2,000 lm criterion in UN Regulation No. 48 as criteria for the requirement for automatic levelling with performance requirements based upon these deciding factors.

Front fog lamps may be reciprocally incorporated with the main beam and in some cases, it is required to switch off the front fog lamp when the main beam is operated to avoid overheating of the device. In this case, Regulation No. 19 requires a “/” in the approval marking. However, the current text in paragraph 6.3.7 of Regulation No. 48 requires that “it shall be possible to switch the front fog lamps ON and OFF independently of the main-beam headlamps”. This proposal is intended to remove the conflict between the texts of the two regulations. This proposal supersedes and replaces document GRE/2014/22 and has been prepared to remove ambiguities identified in the previous proposal.

Document GRE/2014/31 proposes to introduce requirements to avoid intentional non-approved (voltage) variation of the passing and driving beam, using halogen light sources and to harmonize it with the operating voltage requirements in Regulation No. 48. This correction seeks to improve the text by replacing the “about value” for the reference luminous flux with the exact value of 13.2V and to simplify the C.o.P. procedure.

OICA comments on document GRE/2014/39 proposing to align UN R48 with the proposal approved by the GRSG to require the automatic activation of hazard warning lights in buses and coaches in the event of excess temperatures in the engine and/or other compartments.

Proposal to introduce type-approval provisions for lamps intended to provide supplemental lateral illumination of the road on the driver-side of the vehicle as a means to reduce the impact of glare from on-coming vehicle headlamps on driver vision and road visibility.

Revised proposal to introduce flashing side marker lamps for vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2, N3, O3 and O4 with the objective of improving the safety of vulnerable road users by informing them about the intended turns of buses and heavy goods vehicles and their trailers. This proposal replaces the version presented in document GRE/2014/33.

Front fog lamps may be reciprocally incorporated with the main beam and in some cases, it is required to switch off the front fog lamp when the main beam is operated to avoid overheating of the device. In this case, Regulation No. 19 requires a “/” in the approval marking. However, the current text in paragraph 6.3.7 of Regulation No. 48 requires that “it shall be possible to switch the front fog lamps ON and OFF independently of the main-beam headlamps”. This proposal is intended to remove the conflict between the texts of the two regulations.

Proposal to introduce flashing side marker lamps for vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2, N3, O3 and O4 with the objective of improving the safety of vulnerable road users by informing them about the intended turns of buses and heavy goods vehicles and their trailers.

Proposal to delete the requirement for automatic leveling devices for all headlamps with light emitting diode (LED) light sources based upon the results of a GTB study.

Proposal to correct a series of editorial errors.

The Working Party on General Safety (GRSG) has approved a proposal to require the automatic activation of hazard warning lights in buses and coaches in the event of excess temperatures in the engine and/or other compartments. This proposal would align UN R48 with this new requirement so a complete set of amendments can be presented for adoption at the March 2015 session of the World Forum.

Proposal to allow cornering lights to remain on as long as the vehicle speed does not exceed 10 km/h as a measure to improve visibility during slow manoeuvres.