UN R171 — 01 series of amendments

The system may now withhold HORs when the vehicle is located on a “Highway” and is operated at a speed up to 130 km/h. Before, paragraph 5.5.4.2.6.5. was reserved for hands-off requirements. Whilst in this mode, an HOR for a detected upcoming boundary condition which requires one must be given at the latest 5 seconds in advance. For situations not detected 5 seconds in advance, a DCA must be issued unless lateral assistance will still be provided after motoric reengagement. In this mode, the latest EOR timing is 3.5 s of visual disengagement at 130 km/h and 5.0 s at 10 km/h to 60 km/h. The system must inform the driver whether HORs are currently being withheld or not in a clearly distinguishable way.

Features capable of system-initiated manoeuvres must only initiate a manoeuvre on a highway (including highway slip roads) and when not withholding HORs. For these features, a manoeuvre must not be initiated if the system has presented an EOR to the driver in the 7 seconds before initiation. If the driver rejects a manoeuvre, the system must not initiate it again unless circumstances change or there is a risk of an imminent collision. New paragraph 5.3.7.2.5.1. requires anticipatory behaviour towards other road user(s) for systems capable of system-initiated manoeuvres or withholding of HORs. This must be demonstrated by avoiding a collision in three Annex 4 scenarios, accounting for the robustness criteria outlined in Annex 3 Appendix 4. New Annex 4 test 4.2.5.2.15. covers system-initiated manoeuvring around an obstruction, with a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction in the adjacent lane.

New definitions cover the “Hands On Request (HOR)”, the “Eyes On Request (EOR)” and the “Direct Control Alert (DCA)” in paragraphs 2.32. to 2.34. The system must be disabled for at least 30 minutes whilst the powertrain is active when the driver is detected to have insufficient engagement. Insufficient engagement is deemed when this leads to one unavailability response initiation, or at most 2 DCAs due to prolonged insufficient engagement. Insufficient engagement is deemed when this leads to at most 3 engagement request escalations, over a rolling 30-minute window during the activation of the powertrain. After disablement for insufficient engagement, the system must request, at the latest upon deactivation of the powertrain, that the driver reads the driver information material. The system design aspects to be assessed now include evidence of robustness of driver disengagement monitoring to differences in human characteristics and apparel.

The approaching-vehicle deceleration assessment now also assumes deceleration begins 1.4 seconds after the system starts the lateral movement of the lane change procedure. For system-initiated lane changes, the system must aim to detect restricted lanes of travel and aim to refrain from initiating lane changes to such lanes. For the driver unavailability response, the system must be designed to select an appropriate target stop area based on its capabilities and current circumstances. The system must generate a signal to activate the direction indicator unless it is already activated by the driver. Before, it had to generate a signal to activate and deactivate the direction indicator.

If driver braking reduces speed by not more than 30 km/h within 2 seconds, longitudinal control assistance may resume without a separate driver action. While trying to maintain a constant speed without external disturbances, the system must aim to minimise unreasonable fluctuations in the vehicle’s speed. The system’s default status must be the ‘off’ mode at each initiation of the powertrain, regardless of what mode the driver previously selected. An automatic new engine start, for example by a stop/start system, is not an “initiation of the powertrain” wherever that term is used. Annex 4 adds a base test for a lead vehicle decelerating up to 4 m/s2, with the VUT following it at 50 km/h.

The manufacturer must now notify the Type Approval Authority “without unreasonable delay” instead of “as soon as practical” about safety-critical occurrences. For systems capable of system-initiated manoeuvres, notification applies to any instance where the feature was active within the last 7 seconds before the safety-critical occurrence. If the manufacturer is to take remedial action addressing DCAS design, the Type Approval Authority must upload the information to “DETA” without undue delay. The report, at least once a year, must now continue until the production is definitively discontinued according to paragraph 14. The listed information can be shared in confidence with other Type Approval Authorities on request; the manufacturer must then be notified. New table items cover disablement due to insufficient engagement, repeated HORs/EORs and phases of withholding HORs without driver override of the longitudinal control (if applicable).

New paragraph 16. adds transitional provisions for the 01 series of amendments. As from 1 September 2027, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation are not obliged to accept 00 series type approvals first issued after 1 September 2027. Until 1 September 2030, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation must accept 00 series type approvals first issued before 1 September 2027. As from 1 September 2030, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation are not obliged to accept type approvals issued to the 00 series. The words “in on-road traffic” are deleted from the “Dynamic Driving Task (DDT)” definition in paragraph 2.30. Paragraph 4.4.2. on an oval surrounding the letters “UI” followed by the Unique Identifier is deleted.