The chair welcomed the participants of the 4th Meeting of the Informal Working Group on Vehicle Interior Air Quality and especially thanked Daimler for hosting the meeting. Please refer to the participants list. (VIAQ-04-11)

The agenda for the meeting (VIAQ-04-02) was reviewed and accepted by all participants.

VIAQ-04-02/Rev.1 | Draft agenda for the 4th VIAQ informal session

VIAQ-04-11 | Draft minutes of the 4th VIAQ informal group session

The secretary summarized the meeting minutes of the 3rd VIAQ meeting (VIAQ-03-12). The meeting minutes were approved by the participants.

VIAQ-03-12 | Minutes of the 3rd VIAQ informal group session

The chair explained the progress report and the decided issues from the 3rd meeting are (VIAQ-04-04):

• three testing modes (Ambient, Parking, Driving),
• tested substances (Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene)

The chair presented the open issues in the discussion item list. The main items for the 4th meeting were (VIAQ-04-05):

• Vehicle categories
• Vehicle age (production date, mileage definition)
• Transport & Storage
• Testing conditions for the different modes

VIAQ-04-04/Rev.1 | VIAQ informal group work items

VIAQ-04-05/Rev.1 | VIAQ informal group discussion items for the 4th session

The expert from Korea, Dr. Lee presented a proposal from Korea on the test parameters (VIAQ-04-07):

• M1 (light duty passenger cars) and N1 (light duty truck) should be tested.
• The production date is the date when the final test of vehicles is finished in the production line.
• Tests should be done for 28d old cars.
• Cars should be transported and stored in a normal way for series cars. Climate system should be in recirculation mode.
• Before the test the cars should be parked in a storage area.
• One day before the test all covers should be removed.
• Soak temperature should be 25°C. Soak time should be 16h.
• Each car should be tested twice.

VIAQ-04-07 | Korea test procedures for vehicle interior air quality assessment

On behalf of OICA, Mr. Jiang presented a proposal on the storage conditions (VIAQ-04-09):

• Normal transportation and storage process shall be used.
• Sunlight exposure and interior contamination should be minimized.
• No extra fuelling of the car is allowed.
• Dust wiping, vacuuming and cleaning with clear water is allowed.
• Prior to the test, the vehicle has to be stored at 20-30°C.

VIAQ-04-09 | Vehicle storage conditions under air quality testing

On behalf of OICA, Dr. Göldenitz presented a proposal for the selection of the test cars (VIAQ-04-09):

• The production date is the day when the car is handed over to the sales department.
• The car has to be from the regular production process.
• A worst case approach is recommended. Cars should be combined in families with the same emission potential.
• The test car should be equipped with the darkest interior and exterior color.
• Three cars should be tested for each family: textile, artificial leather, and real leather.

VIAQ-04-09 | Vehicle storage conditions under air quality testing

This presentation is postponed until the 5th meeting.

On behalf of OICA Ms. Jang presented principals that influence the analytical results depending on storage time and temperature. (VIAQ-04-08)

Russia submitted valuable comments on the current draft document that will be considered for the next revision of the draft document, but were not discussed in detail. (VIAQ-04-06)

The expert of UL presented the Introduction of vehicle indoor air quality.

VIAQ-04-06 | Russian Federation comments on the draft VIAQ standard

VIAQ-04-08 | Influence of Test Vehicle Storage temperature and Vehicle Age on Vehicle Interior Air Quality

The open tasks of the work item list were discussed. (VIAQ-04-04, VIAQ-04-05) The following status was determined. It is proceeding as four steps (To be determined, Under discussion, Provisional conclusion, and Closed):

• “To be determined” means that this point hasn’t been touched, but is still important for the procedure. The working item is proposed by members
• “Under discussion” means that this task is still being discussed. Members should address their opinions on it.
• “Provisional conclusion” means that a majority of the group’s members agree on the items. The items will be open for other opinions, objections, and suggestions at the next meeting.
• “Closed” means the item is decided (final conclusion) and won’t be discussed again.

VIAQ-04-04/Rev.1 | VIAQ informal group work items

VIAQ-04-05/Rev.1 | VIAQ informal group discussion items for the 4th session

It was generally agreed at the second meeting that M1 (light duty passenger cars) were included. Korea and China also request to include N1 (light duty truck) into the standard. There is no experience with N1 measurement in parking and ambient mode.

→ To do: Korea was requested to present their measurement results on N1 for the next meeting.

It is generally agreed that only new cars with a vehicle age of 28d ± 5d have to be measured. The production date means the sign off date of production line. The mileage definition for a new car should be 80 km which was used from WLTP definition.

→ To do: The Chair will check the mileage (80 km) in WLTP group.

It is generally agreed that transport and storage conditions should be according to the normal transport and storage process without extra measures. Details regarding what has to be avoided or is allowed will be further discussed in the next meeting. Protection covers from the normal transport process have to stay inside the car until 1d before the soak time starts. The storage conditions one day before the soak time are still under discussion. The proposal, therefore, is that cars should be stored in a place at 20-30°C. (VIAQ-04-09)

→ To do: The VIAQ members were requested to provide further details at the next meeting.

Soak time is generally agreed to be 16 ± 1h.
Ambient temperature is still being discussed. OICA recommend 23°C, China and Korea recommend 25°C. Humidity for the test is generally agreed to be 50 ± 10%.

→ To do: OICA was requested to bring technical data or rationale about the ambient test temperature 23°C at the next meeting.

Radiation of 400W/m² and 4h soak time is still under discussion.

→ To do: The experts from SAE, Mr. Polster will give a presentation with technical data for the Parking mode test parameters at the next meeting.

23°C sampling for 30 min with air conditioning on as driving mode is still under discussion.

→ To do: The experts from SAE, Mr. Polster will give a presentation with technical data for the Driving mode test parameters at the next meeting.

It has been discussed whether repeated tests of the same car make sense, and are necessary. Korea requests each car to be tested twice. OICA doesn’t think the multiple tests are necessary, because the second measurement is always better than the first one. However, it has been suggested by OICA to make multiple tests one time to qualify the method and determine the deviation of the method.

Measurements have to be done according to ISO 16000-3 and -6. It is generally agreed that max flow rate for Aldehydes is 1.0 L/min and VOCs is 0.2 L/min and sampling time is 30 min. Sampling of one Aldehyde and one screening is mandatory, but it is recommended to take backup samples.

The chair noted that COP (conformity of Production) and Vehicle family concept were not included in Terms of Reference on VIAQ (ECE-TRANS-WP29-GRPE-70e Annex VI). However, the vehicle selection process was discussed to give information on how to select a worst case car. Therefore a “family” approach, including measuring a worst case car, is recommended by OICA (see chapter 3.3). This item will be further discussed in the 5th meeting.

→ To do: The experts of OICA, Dr. Göldenitz will provide further details how to select a worst case car at the next meeting.

GRPE/70 | Report of the GRPE on its 70th session

The following items have been decided and are now “closed”:

• Protection covers should stay in the vehicle and be taken off one day before the measurement.
• Sampling point is the nose position of the driver seat.
• Analytics methods have to be used according to ISO 16000-3 and -6.

The chair noted that the group would make a draft document of VIAQ recommendations in 2017. Currently, the group is trying to prepare the final draft document by January 2017. However, considering all members involved, delaying the final draft until June 2017 will give our group the necessary time to ensure agreement from all parties.

The VIAQ group made a drafting group to make a draft document. The VIAQ members are invited to the drafting group. The drafting VIAQ group will meet on the 7th of June in the afternoon/evening. Time and place have to be organized by the secretary.

The 5th meeting is scheduled at Palais de Nation, Geneva, Switzerland, 8th June (9.30-12.30) 2016.

The group did not have any other business to discuss at this meeting.

The chair thanked all participants for coming to Beijing or joining via teleconference. A special thanks to Daimler for hosting the 2 day conference.