Archive

2022-09-01

Scope of EU Regulations on Heavy Duty Vehicle CO2 Emissions Expanded

To allow for the full implementation and monitoring of the European Union’s policies on the reduction of CO2 emissions from heavy duty vehicles, it will be necessary to determine the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions performance of a wider range of heavy duty vehicles than is currently specified in EU Regulation No. 2017/2400. To address this situation, in August 2022, the European Commission published two new EU Regulations on this topic. EU Regulation No. 2022/1362 is a new Implementing Regulation which introduces requirements on the performance of heavy trailers and semi-trailers with regard to their influence on the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of the motor vehicles towing those trailers. EU Regulation No. 2022/1379 is an Amending Regulation which expands the scope of (EU) 2017/2400 to include additional vehicle types, additional power train types and other CO2 emissions reducing technologies.

2022-08-01

NHTSA Issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Regarding Event Data Recorders (EDRs)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing to amend the regulation for Event Data Recorders (EDRs) to extend the recording period for timed data metrics from 5 seconds of pre-crash data at a frequency of 2Hz to 20s of pre-crash data at a frequency of 10Hz (i.e., increase from 2 samples per second to 10 samples per second).

2022-07-01

Updates to the EU Regulation on Heavy Duty Vehicle Emissions Proposed to Cover Vehicles using Pure Biodiesel

With the increased commercial availability of diesel fuels containing a higher proportion of biodiesel, e.g. (B20) ad (B30), and even pure biodiesel (B100), the European Commission have recognised that the EU Regulation on heavy duty vehicle emissions requires updating to cater for the use of such fuels. Therefore, On June 1, 2022, the European Commission published a draft Regulation containing proposed amendments to (EU) No. 582/2011 to introduce the necessary provisions.

2022-06-01

Draft Updates to the EU Regulation on Light Duty Vehicle Emissions Published

On May 23, 2022, the European Commission published a draft Regulation containing proposed amendments to (EU) 2017/1151 on light duty vehicle emissions. The package of amendments specified within this draft EU Regulation, which are referred to as "Euro 6e", are mostly refinements and clarifications to reflect technical development and experience gained in the application of the existing "Euro 6d" requirements. However, there are some amendments included in this "Euro 6e" proposal which have the effect of increasing the stringency of the applicable requirements.

2022-05-01

Draft EU Regulations on the Type Approval of Fully Automated Vehicles Published

The European Commission have recently published two draft EU Regulations which pave the way for the more widespread deployment of fully automated vehicles in Europe. One of them is a draft Implementing Regulation specifying uniform procedures and technical specifications for the type approval of the automated driving systems of fully automated motor vehicles. The other one is a draft Delegated Regulation proposing amendments to (EU) 2018/858 to permit the European Small Series Type Approval (EUSSTA) of fully automated motor vehicles.

2022-04-01

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Issued a Request for Comments (RFC) Regarding Adding Additional Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) Plus Other Updates

NHTSA published in the Federal Register a Request for Comments (RFC) on proposed actions to the NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). These actions include adding four new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technologies, a NHTSA plan to develop a new rating system, steps to list the crash avoidance rating information on the vehicle's window sticker (Monroney label), a NHTSA roadmap to update NCAP in phases over the next ten years, a request for comments on expanding NCAP to provide consumer information on safety technologies that could help people drive safer by preventing or limiting risky driving behaviour, and NHTSA's ideas for updating several programmatic aspects of NCAP.

2022-03-01

Draft EU Regulation on Administrative Fines for Type Approval Non-Compliance Published

EU Regulation No. 2018/858 introduced provisions which require the European Commission to carry out compliance verification activities on vehicles and components that are placed on the market in the European Union to ensure that production vehicles and components comply with the type approval requirements. If any non-compliances are identified during these activities, the European Commission is authorised to implement measures on the responsible economic operator to ensure that production vehicles and components are brought back into conformity and, where appropriate, to impose administrative fines. On January 27, 2022, the European Commission published a draft Delegated Regulation specifying the procedure and methods for the calculation and collection of such administrative fines.

2022-02-01

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Issued a Final Rule Creating FMVSS 227 – Bus Rollover Structural Integrity

On December 29, 2021 NHTSA published in the Federal Register a Final Rule (FR) establishing FMVSS 227 - Bus Rollover Structural Integrity. This FR ensures that bus roofs and side wall panels will resist deformation and intrusion into the occupant space in rollover crashes, and reduces the risk of emergency exits becoming ejection portals in a crash. These requirements will apply to "large buses" with some exceptions and will put them on the same level as school bus structural integrity.

2022-01-04

Scope of UN ECE Regulation on Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems Extended

On December 17, 2021, the 01 Series of Amendments to UN ECE Regulation No. 141 on Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) were formally published. The mandatory fitment of tyre pressure monitoring systems to N category goods vehicles, M2 and M3 category buses and coaches and 03 and 04 category heavy trailers and semi-trailers is one of the new safety features mandated by EU Regulation 2019/2144, and this 01 Series of Amendments expands the scope of ECE 141 to include these additional categories of vehicle. This Series of Amendments also introduces new and revised technical and performance requirements to cater for tyre pressure monitoring systems fitted to vehicles of these categories.

2021-12-01

EU Regulation on Intelligent Speed Assistance Systems Published

On November 17, 2021, new European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1958 on Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems was published. The fitment of ISA systems is one of the new safety features mandated by EU Regulation 2019/2144, and this new Delegated Regulation specifies the technical and performance requirements that ISA systems must comply with. However, rather than mandating one specific technical specification for all ISA systems, the Regulation permits a number of options and allows vehicle manufacturers to select the most appropriate option for their vehicles.