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.

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.

Norwegian request for GRRF comments on protection of steering gear and attachment to heavy vehicle frames. In a collision in Norway, the steering gear detached from the vehicle frame following a frontal collision such that the driver could no longer control the vehicle. Norway seeks input on strengthening the protection of steering gear in order to avoid such a situation.

58. The expert from Norway presented GRRF-86-30, reporting on the investigation of road crashes that involved trucks with potential issues related to the mechanical failure of the steering gear. GRRF invited its experts to review crash data available and agreed to further discuss this issue at its September 2018 session.

Presentation by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration on noise abatement activities of the Conference of European Directors of Roads.

5. The expert from Norway gave a presentation (GRB-55-07), showing the study results of the TNO report commissioned by the European Commission on vehicle noise limit values, performed by the project group of noise of the conference of European directors of roads (CEDR). As a conclusion of this study, CEDR suggested more stringent noise limits for new vehicles. The study received several comments. The expert of OICA argued that consumer costs on further noise abatement are compared to industry costs for measures on vehicles noise reduction and the expert from EC suggested considering not only economical aspects but on a broader basis.

16. The experts from France, Germany, Norway and Sweden presented ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/11 covering the burning behaviour of materials used in the interior compartment, the engine compartment or any compartment where the combustion heater is located. GRSG adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/11 as reproduced in GRSG-100-32 and Annex III, and requested the secretariat to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration at their November 2011 session, as draft 02 series of amendments to Regulation No. 118.

5. GRSG considered GRSG-100-06 superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2010/33/Rev.1 by the expert from EC on the accessibility of prams. GRSG noted a number of comments, in particular from the United Kingdom (GRSG-100-24). GRSG generally supported this proposal, but was of the opinion that the case of small buses should be better taken into account. GRSG agreed to consider again this proposal at its next session on the basis of a revised proposal prepared by the expert from EC.

6. The expert from France presented ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/3 proposing to clarify the definition of Class II vehicles designed principally for the carriage of seated passengers. After discussion, GRSG could not support this proposal and agreed to remove it from the agenda.

7. The expert from OICA withdrew ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/4 on the number of priorities seats. The expert from CLCCR regretted that this proposal had been withdrawn.

8. The expert from IRU withdrew ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/9 on driver seats with no suspension system.

9. The secretariat introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/10 deleting the cross reference to Regulation No. 66 on the strength of superstructure. GRSG adopted the proposal and requested the secretariat to submit it to the World Forum on Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) and the administrative Committee of the 1958 Agreement (AC.1) for consideration at their November 2011 session, as part of draft Supplement 1 to the 04 series of amendments to Regulation No. 107 (see also para. 14).

10. GRSG considered ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2011/18 prepared by the experts from France, Germany, Norway and Sweden to introduce requirements on fire detection systems. After discussion, GRSG adopted the proposal, as reproduced in GRSG-100-31 and Annex II, and requested the secretariat to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration at their November 2011 session, as draft 05 series of amendments to Regulation No. 107.

11. The expert from Spain presented GRSG-100-03 on flat monitors located on the roof of the gangway. GRSG noted a number of comments and agreed to reconsider this topic at its next session. The secretariat was requested to make GRSG-100-03 available with an official symbol.

12. The expert from Russian Federation introduced GRSG-100-07 clarifying the Russian version of Regulation No. 107. GRSG adopted the proposal, as reproduced in Annex II and requested the secretariat to submit it to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration at their November 2011 session, as draft Corrigendum 1 to Supplement 1 to the 03 series of amendments and as draft Corrigendum 7 to Revision 2 to Regulation No. 107.