Discussion on the introduction of technical requirements applying to the bus front to reduce the extent of damage and injury in connection with potential frontal impact accidents. It has also been raised by the labour unions that buses need to become more crash resistant. Plan is to change the scope and perhaps add a new section for testing the front of the buses. Alternatively make a new regulation for frontal protection for buses.

60. The expert from Norway introduced GRSP-73-22, showing statistical evidence that a considerable number of accidents involved buses wherein the drivers had been seriously injured or killed in head-on collisions in Norway. The expert from the United Kingdom stated a lack of statistics from his country for this activity. The expert from the Netherlands suggested that GRSP was the correct body to address this issue although merit needed to be verified. He also suggested considering UN Regulation No. 66 (Strength of superstructure (buses)) under the responsibility of GRSP to have a thorough approach to passive safety. The expert from Finland agreed with the concerns in GRSP-73-22 and added that the steering wheel function should be also investigated. GRSP agreed to resume discussion at its December 2023 session and requested experts to provide statistical data at that session.

Proposal to specify that Supplement 7 does not apply to type approvals issued prior to its entry-into-force.

Paragraph 2.24., table of symbols, lines L_{TR,Jref,(vTR,ref)}, L_TR,DB,Jref, L_TR,DB,Jref, L_{TR,DB,crs,Jref}, and L_{TR,DB,wot,Jref}, last column, for “left/ride side” read “left/right side”.

Add a new paragraph 11.13. to read:

Annex 3, Appendix 3, paragraph 3.2., for “left and ride side” read “left and right” side.

Paragraph 2.24., table of symbols, lines L_{TR,Jref,(vTR,ref)}, L_TR,DB,Jref, L_TR,DB,Jref, L_{TR,DB,crs,Jref}, and L_{TR,DB,wot,Jref}, last column, for “left/ride side” read “left/right side”.

Add a new paragraph 11.13. to read:

Annex 3, Appendix 3, paragraph 3.2., for “left and ride side” read “left and right” side.

Proposal to introduce requirements to position test dummies in the rear seating positions, including a 50th percentile male ATD in the middle position, under the dynamic test.

14. The expert from Norway introduced a proposal of amendments (GRSP-70-27) to improve the test procedure for protection for the occupants against the displacement of luggage. He clarified that the proposal stemmed from findings of a report (GRSP-69-02) of the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) on a high-speed frontal road-collision, introduced at the May 2021 session of GRSP. The expert from CLEPA argued that there was no evidence that seat-strength improvement would prevent situations like those shown by the expert from Norway and that the problem seemed more related to submarining. The expert from the Netherlands added that the accident shown occurred at high speed. He underlined that the problem was a mismatch between UN Regulation No. 14 and 17, because it does not cover the situation when an occupant is seating in the rear centre position and there was luggage in the boot. The expert from OICA also stressed the very high severity of this particular accident and that, since the current UN Regulation No. 17 requirements were introduced, real world data do not seem to indicate problems; he also suggested to understand better this specific issue and to collect more evidence. GRSP agreed to resume consideration at its next sessions on the basis of GRSP-70-27 and accident data and keep GRSP-70-27 as an informal document for the May 2022 session.

17. GRSP agreed to suspend consideration of GRSP-70-27 at its next sessions, which proposed to amend the test of devices to protect occupants against displacement of luggage, due to the lack of additional data and interest by GRSP experts on this subject and to remove this item from the agenda of its next sessions for the time being.

Analysis of a fatal crash event involving a van the lost its grip on the ice-covered road surface, crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with an estate car of approximately the same weight, fully laden with passengers. The investigation showed that the back of the rear seat was severely deformed, despite being reinforced and well within the regulatory strength requirements described in UN-ECE R17.

16. The expert from Norway introduced a presentation (GRSP-69-06) concerning the main findings of a report (GRSP-69-02) from the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) related to a high-speed frontal road-collision. He added that the car collision occurred between a passenger car and a van and that two passengers seating in the rear seat row died during the collision also due to the luggage displacement, while frontal seating passengers sustained minor injuries. The expert from Consumer International (CI) proposed that more stringent requirements for rear seat strength should be introduced into the UN Regulation. The expert from EC stated his intention to study the case and report at the next GRSP sessions. The expert from OICA argued that crash speed (80 km/h) of the reported accident was beyond the speed considered into the UN Regulation. Moreover, he suggested that also harmonized international traffic rules on the obligation of securing luggage should be pursued. GRSP agreed to resume discussion on this subject and defer discussion on GRSP-69-34 at its December 2021 session.

14. The expert from Norway introduced a proposal of amendments (GRSP-70-27) to improve the test procedure for protection for the occupants against the displacement of luggage. He clarified that the proposal stemmed from findings of a report (GRSP-69-02) of the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) on a high-speed frontal road-collision, introduced at the May 2021 session of GRSP. The expert from CLEPA argued that there was no evidence that seat-strength improvement would prevent situations like those shown by the expert from Norway and that the problem seemed more related to submarining. The expert from the Netherlands added that the accident shown occurred at high speed. He underlined that the problem was a mismatch between UN Regulation No. 14 and 17, because it does not cover the situation when an occupant is seating in the rear centre position and there was luggage in the boot. The expert from OICA also stressed the very high severity of this particular accident and that, since the current UN Regulation No. 17 requirements were introduced, real world data do not seem to indicate problems; he also suggested to understand better this specific issue and to collect more evidence. GRSP agreed to resume consideration at its next sessions on the basis of GRSP-70-27 and accident data and keep GRSP-70-27 as an informal document for the May 2022 session.

Norway comments on new drafts of the proposed UN Regulation on the approval of motor vehicles with
regard to their Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS).

Discussion paper proposing an effort to develop safety requirements for the protection of the driver and
tourist guide situation at the front of motor coaches.

6. Referring to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2007/33 tabled by Germany on a new draft UN Regulation on frontal protection of buses, the expert from Norway presented GRSG-115-04 reiterating the need to enhance the protection and integrity of the compartment of the driver and any crew member of buses and coaches in case of a frontal collision. The expert from the United Kingdom reported on the rarity of statistical data available in his country on such accidents. He preferred receiving first some more research on causality data. The expert from Finland echoed that position and questioned if this subject was not a matter of passive safety falling under the responsibility of the Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP). The expert from Germany was of the opinion that there are already a number of active safety systems available today.

7. Finally, GRSG agreed on the need to collect some accidentology data on frontal collisions of buses and coaches resulting in risks for the driver and/or crew member. The GRSG Chair invited all governmental experts to investigate on their national/regional statistical data and to provide the results to GRSG for consideration at its April 2019 session. GRSG agreed to keep GRSG-115-04 on the agenda as a reference document.

7. The expert from Norway recalled GRSG-115-04, from the previous session of GRSG, on the need to enhance the protection and integrity of the driver or crew member compartment of buses and coaches in a frontal collision. He stated that he had not received replies to his request for statistical or accidentology data on such collisions that resulted in risks for the driver and/or crew members.

17. The expert from Norway reported on the outcome of the NordTyre projects conducted between 2011 and 2017 (GRB-68-09). According to him, for typical Nordic road surfaces, a good correlation between the actual noise levels and tyre noise labels had not been established. The expert from OICA was of the view that the tyre labelling systems would need to be improved and pointed out that both road surfaces and tyres equally contribute to the noise produced by the “tyre-surface” system by giving a 4 db(A) variation in the test results. The expert from ETRTO mentioned that the ISO 10844 standard on test tracks was under revision and that new test tracks would reduce by half the dispersion in the results.