Consolidated Revisions and Amendments
Unofficial texts published by WP.29 for convenience
This page provides regulatory texts published by WP.29 during the past six months. These documents consolidate proposals and any changes made at the time of adoption and are published for convenience. The original proposals as adopted and recorded in the WP.29 session reports are considered to be the legally binding texts.
UN R138 (2016)
24 Oct 2016 2016-11-15 19:29:30 UTC 00 series of amendments Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2016/26

Proposal for the establishment of a new UN Regulation governing the approval of audible vehicle alerting systems for quiet vehicles moving at low speeds. This proposal can be considered as the first phase of the regulation. In response to concerns raised by the World Blind Union, GRB agreed to extend the mandate of the informal working group that developed this text in order to consider further measures to address the WBU concerns.

UN R138 | Amendment 1 (2017)
11 Dec 2017 2017-12-14 12:21:47 UTC 1 00 series of amendments | Supplement 1 Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2017/6

Proposal to refine the scope by replacing the phrase “can travel” by “can be propelled”. The use of “travel” in the scope can be interpreted to include vehicles using using electrical systems for purposes other than propulsion (e.g., energy recuperation) that fall outside the test conditions of UN R138.

UN R138 | Amendment 2 (2017)
11 Dec 2017 2017-12-14 12:27:07 UTC 2 01 series of amendments Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2017/7

Proposal to refine the scope by replacing the phrase “can travel” by “can be propelled”. The use of “travel” in the scope can be interpreted to include vehicles using using electrical systems for purposes other than propulsion (e.g., energy recuperation) that fall outside the test conditions of UN R138. The proposal further amends:

  1. Paragraph 2.7. to make clear the “pause function” refers to systems that allow the driver to deactivate an AVAS system;
  2. Paragraph 6.2.6.: The vehicle operator shall not deactivate AVAS while driving. However, the manufacturer shall be enabled to activate or deactivate AVAS, including automatically, by regional coding according to legal provisions of various markets.
  3. Paragraph 11.: the transitional provisions were added according to the rules of WP.29 for new series of amendments. Paragraph 11.6. has been added to maintain approvals that also comply with the new series of amendments, as is the case for vehicles that do not have a pause function according to the newly suggested paragraph 6.2.6.
  4. Annex 1, Addendum to the communication form No …, Technical Information: technical information regarding “Pause switch (yes/no)” will be no longer necessary.

UN R138 | Revision 1 (2018)
22 Jan 2018 2018-01-23 11:39:00 UTC 1 01 series of amendments Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2017/7

Proposal to refine the scope by replacing the phrase “can travel” by “can be propelled”. The use of “travel” in the scope can be interpreted to include vehicles using using electrical systems for purposes other than propulsion (e.g., energy recuperation) that fall outside the test conditions of UN R138. The proposal further amends:

  1. Paragraph 2.7. to make clear the “pause function” refers to systems that allow the driver to deactivate an AVAS system;
  2. Paragraph 6.2.6.: The vehicle operator shall not deactivate AVAS while driving. However, the manufacturer shall be enabled to activate or deactivate AVAS, including automatically, by regional coding according to legal provisions of various markets.
  3. Paragraph 11.: the transitional provisions were added according to the rules of WP.29 for new series of amendments. Paragraph 11.6. has been added to maintain approvals that also comply with the new series of amendments, as is the case for vehicles that do not have a pause function according to the newly suggested paragraph 6.2.6.
  4. Annex 1, Addendum to the communication form No …, Technical Information: technical information regarding “Pause switch (yes/no)” will be no longer necessary.

UN R138 | Revision 1 | Amendment 1 (2020)
29 Jan 2020 2020-02-18 14:18:02 UTC 1 1 01 series of amendments | Supplement 1 Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2019/55

Proposal to

  1. exempt hybrid vehicles that do not provide valid test results (e.g., internal combustion engine active under test conditions)
  2. clarify the text concerning permissible AVAS operating conditions
  3. to differentiate indoor and outdoor facility requirements (e.g., weather station requirement) and
  4. update flowcharts in Annex 3 in line with text.
  5. add a footnote to the scope to exempt electrified vehicles where the internal combustion engine (ICE) operates under the test conditions
  6. clarify the intention of paragraph 6.2.:
    • that AVAS may be operational outside the specified speed ranges (e.g., in the USA where the speed range extends to 30 km/h),
    • align maximum sound with UN R51.03 ASEP, and
    • explicitly specify that the AVAS may function even when the ICE is running
  7. clarify under paragraph 6.2.6. that a manufacturer may install an attenuation to enable the system to operate at different sound levels
  8. split and clarify indoor and outdoor testing specifications under Annex 3 paragraph 2.2. to account for different needs such as a weather station
  9. amend the flowcharts in the Annex 3 Appendix to better reflect the regulation text
  10. align the transitional provisions in the 01 series of amendments with the format introduced following Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement.

UN R138 | Revision 1 | Amendment 2 (2021)
2 Feb 2021 2021-02-25 15:29:25 UTC 1 2 01 series of amendments | Supplement 2 Based upon the adopted proposal: WP.29/2020/71

Proposal to clarify that it is not necessary to require an ISO 10844 asphalt track surface in cases where the vehicle is at a standstill provided that the surface is dense and without substantial absorption characteristics.

Earlier texts may be available through the UN Official Document System.