EU Adopts Noise, Rolling Resistance, Wet Grip and Labelling rules

The EU has rubber-stamped the tyre noise, rolling resistance, wet grip and labelling regulations that have been the subject of public discussion since the beginning of 2008. Despite complaints from some leading premium tyre manufacturers that the balance of improvements demanded is simply unworkable in the timeframe given, the commission said it should assess the feasibility of “strengthening the requirements for wet grip for tyres, and if appropriate, propose an amendment to this Regulation.” The decisions follow the EU’s adoption of a report which includes calls for tyre rolling resistance, noise and safety regulations as part of “a simpler, standardised system for the type-approval of motor vehicles.” The new regulation will reportedly apply from 1 November 2011, a year earlier than the commission proposed.

Some of the rules on tyre standards have also been revised. Measures to regulate tyre rolling resistance and monitor inflation pressures appear to have been made stricter. The rule also makes the installation of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) compulsory on new private cars. MEPs did not vote to extend this TPMS requirement to trucks, but they did beef up the rules on the effectiveness and reliability of such systems, without preferring either direct or indirect pressure monitoring technology.

The regulation will also make technologies such as electronic stability control (ESC) and advanced emergency braking (AEBS) compulsory. Lane departure warning systems (LDWS) are also to be made mandatory on lorries initially. However, the commission says it should “assess the feasibility of extending mandatory installation of TPMS and LDWS and AEBS to other categories of vehicle and, if appropriate, propose an amendment to this regulation.”

MEPs drew a clear link between this proposal and the CO2 package, with official literature supporting “accurate TPMS on cars, because significant fuel consumption gains are best insured by properly inflated tyres, with significant fuel consumption losses incurred with only a marginal tyre pressure loss.” The document also tightened up the definitions of tyres, for example limiting the possibility of installing off-road professional tyres on 4×4 cars marketed for private or leisure use:

“In particular the commission should be empowered to establish the specific procedures, tests and requirements for the type-approval of motor vehicles, components and separate technical units; to define more precisely the characteristics a tyre must fulfil to be defined as “snow tyre”, “traction tyre”, “special use tyre”, “off-road professional tyre”, “reinforced” or “extra load tyre”; to set out specific safety requirements for vehicles intended for the.”

In what could be interpreted as a veiled effort to make imports of cheaper tyres from emerging markets hard, paragraph 11 of the approved text adds that the use of high-tech tyre production technologies is “essential”:

“The mandatory and consistent use of state-of-the art tyre manufacturing technologies and low rolling resistance tyres will be essential for reducing the share of greenhouse gas emissions of road traffic in the transport sector, while at the same time promoting innovation, employment and the competitiveness of the European automotive industry.”

In general the idea is for the EU to introduce a single regulation designed to “synthesise” the more than 50 regulations on subjects such as vehicle emissions, noise, ESC and TPMS and tyre performance. It will also be “directly applicable in all member states” and reflects car safety standards harmonised by the United Nations. The consolidated amended text of the report by Andreas Schwab was adopted by 610 votes to 34 with 20 abstentions in Strasbourg.

Following the vote, Schwab stated: “We have succeeded in improving road safety in Europe by going further than the Commission proposed. In particular we achieved the early introduction of Electronic Stability Control Systems for all vehicles, and in general, new technologies shall be pushed ahead faster, encouraging in the process the competitiveness of European manufacturers, and to set better safety standards and lower sound limits in future years and thus improve public health and safety by reducing harmful road traffic noise, and promoting cleaner and safer car technology.”