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UN R118 Supplement 1 (04 series) · UNECE Regulation No. 118 (ECE R118) — Uniform technical prescriptions concerning the burning behaviour and/or the capability to repel fuel or lubricant of materials used in the construction of certain categories of motor vehicles.

UN R118 — Supplement 1 to the 04 series of amendments

Base text → Supplement 1

Adopted at the WP.29 188th sessionEntry into force 2023-06-05
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What changed
  • New paragraph 1.1.1. says that, at the request of the manufacturer, this UN Regulation may also be applied to vehicles of Categories M3, Class I.
  • Paragraph 6.2.8.1. exempts parts made of metal or glass from the tests of Annexes 6 to 8. It now adds that parts made of plastic glazing are not included in this exemption.
  • New paragraph 6.1.9. in Part II defines “plastic glazing”.
Why
  • The proposal aims at introducing M3 Class I vehicles into the current scope of the UN Regulation on a voluntary basis.
  • The proposal states that parts made of plastic glazing should not be affected by the exemption of paragraph 6.2.8. and should be tested.
  • GRSG omitted to align the 04 series with the 02 and 03 series amendments, since the World Forum had not yet adopted the 04 series.

Q1What changed3 changes

Vehicles of Categories M3, Class I at the request of the manufacturer (para. 1.1.1.)

New paragraph 1.1.1. says that, at the request of the manufacturer, this UN Regulation may also be applied to vehicles of Categories M3, Class I.

At the request of the manufacturer, this UN Regulation may also be applied to vehicles of Categories M3, Class I.

Plastic glazing and the exemption for parts made of metal or glass (paras. 6.1.9. and 6.2.8.1.)

Under paragraph 6.2.8., parts made of metal or glass are not required to undergo the tests described in Annexes 6 to 8. Paragraph 6.2.8.1. now adds that parts made of plastic glazing are not included in this exemption. In Part II, new paragraph 6.1.9. defines “plastic glazing” as “a glazing material that contains as an essential ingredient, one or more organic polymeric substances of large molecular weight”. The definition also says that the material “is solid in its finished state and, at some stage in its manufacture of processing into finished articles, can be shaped by flow”.

Parts made of metal or glass; Parts made of plastic glazing are not included in this exemption.
"Plastic glazing" is a glazing material that contains as an essential ingredient, one or more organic polymeric substances of large molecular weight, is solid in its finished state and, at some stage in its manufacture of processing into finished articles, can be shaped by flow.
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Q2Why it changed

Proposed by
Expert from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers
Working party
GRSG, 123rd session (March–April 2022)

Reasons

  • The proposal copies justifications from documents adopted by GRSG at its 121st session in April 2021. One of these documents amended the 02 and 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 118. GRSG omitted to align the 04 series, since this series had not yet been adopted by the World Forum.

    Sources (3)
    “The justifications below are copy/pasted from documents GRSG-121-04”
    “adopted by GRSG at its 121st session in April 2021”
    “The latter amended the 02 and 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 118, but GRSG omitted to align the 04 Series since this one had not yet been adopted by the World Forum.”

  • The proposal aims to allow type approvals for M3 Class I vehicles, which are not yet part of the scope of this Regulation. It aims at introducing M3 Class I vehicles into the current scope on a voluntary basis. The proposal states that it will not imply any technical change for manufacturers not interested in the certification of class I busses.

    Sources (3)
    “To allow the possibility of granting type-approvals to M3 Class I vehicle category (which are not yet part of the scope of UN Regulation No. 118).”
    “The proposal is aiming at introducing M3 Class I vehicles into the current scope of the UN Regulation on a voluntary basis.”
    “The proposed modification will not imply any technical change for the manufacturers not interested in the certification of class I busses.”

  • The proposal states that it will measurably improve the fire safety for the Class I bus category (used in suburban traffic).

    Source
    “This proposal will measurably improve the fire safety for Class I bus category (used in suburban traffic).”

  • The type approval certificate of UN Regulation No. 118 for Class I is frequently considered as a criterion in city bus tender processes. The proposal states that it will make sure that type approval authorities do not have different interpretations. This aims to give the same level playing field for vehicle manufacturer's requests, especially in case of tenders.

    Sources (2)
    “It has been noticed that the type approval certificate of UN Regulation No. 118 for Class I is frequently being considered as a criterion in city bus tender process”
    “This proposal will ensure that there are no different interpretations among type approval authorities, and therefore providing the same level playing field for vehicle manufacturer's requests, especially in case of tenders.”

  • Parts made of metallic and glass elements are exempted because these materials are not affected by the tests according to Annexes 6 to 8. This behaviour (fire resistance) is not present in the plastic materials used in many parts inside the vehicles. So parts made of plastic glazing should not be affected by the exemption and should be tested. The clarification is to avoid misinterpretations that could lead to exemptions and a risk of safety. The definition of plastic glazing in UN Regulation No. 43 is added to Part II to precisely define the materials not covered by paragraph 6.2.8.

    Sources (5)
    “The reason for the exemption to the parts made of metallic and glass elements is that these materials are not affected by the tests according to the Annexes 6 to 8 of UN Regulation No. 118.”
    “This behaviour (fire resistance) is not present in the plastic materials used in many parts installed inside the vehicles.”
    “Accordingly, parts made of plastic glazing should not be affected by the exemption of paragraph 6.2.8., and therefore, these materials should be tested.”
    “The clarification is proposed to be included in UN Regulation No. 118 to avoid misinterpretations that could lead to exemptions, and therefore constitute a risk of safety.”
    “It is also proposed that Part II of UN Regulation No. 118 include the definition of plastic glazing in UN Regulation No. 43 in order to precisely define the materials not covered by paragraph 6.2.8.”

Document trail

  1. 2022-01ProposalECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2022/2Proposal by the expert from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers
  2. —Working party adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/102GRSG session report, para. 8
  3. 2022-08Sent to WP.29ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/121Text that GRSG adopted and sent to WP.29 and AC.1
  4. 2022-11WP.29 adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/1168Adopted at the 188th session (session report, para. 138)
  5. 2023-06-05In forceC.N.173.2023.TREATIES-XI.B.16.118UN depositary notification

Q3Who is affected

Vehicle manufacturer

  • If you want an approval for vehicles of Categories M3, Class I, request it under paragraph 1.1.1.

Component supplier

  • No direct action for this role.

Technical service / Approval authority

  • Be ready for manufacturer requests to apply this UN Regulation to vehicles of Categories M3, Class I.

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ⓘ This report gives advice only. It is not legal or type-approval advice.

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