Outline of New Rolling Resistance and Noise Requirements

A new European Union regulation “concerning type approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles”, regulation 316, was recently voted on and passed by a large majority in the European Parliament. This regulation defines, for all passenger car (PC), light truck (LT) and heavy truck and bus tyres (TB), the maximum limit values for rolling resistance and noise, as well as the minimum value for the wet grip of passenger car tyres. It also specifies that TPMS must be installed on all new passenger cars. Certain other safety or environmental dispositions for vehicles that do not directly impact upon tyres will also be required.

All new types of tyre must conform to the stage 1 limits by November 1, 2012. A year later all new types of vehicles must come fitted with tyres confirming with the stage 1 requirements, and by November 1, 2014 all new passenger car and light truck tyres manufactured must conform to these requirements. Tyres manufactured before this date that do not meet the requirements are permitted to be sold until May 1, 2017. All new truck and bus tyres manufactured from November 1, 2016 must meet the stage 1 limits, and tyres manufactured prior to this date and not meeting these limits can only be sold until May 1, 2019.

All new tyre types must conform with stage 2 limits by November 1, 2016. By November 1, 2017 all new vehicles must be equipped with tyres meeting the stage 2 requirements. All new passenger car and light truck tyres manufactured from November 1, 2018 must conform to the stage 2 requirements, and tyres previously manufactured that do not conform may only be sold until May 1, 2021. All new truck and bus tyres manufactured from November 1, 2020 must meet stage 2 levels, and sales of non-conforming tyres manufactured before this date are permitted until May 1, 2023.

The definition of a “Traction tyre” according to the regulation is a category C2 or C3 tyre bearing the inscription M+S or M.S. or M&S and intended to be fitted to vehicle drive axle(s). For C2 tyres, that includes all M+S tyres as all LT/C tyres are intended to be fitted on the drive axle. The exact definition of a “snow tyre” will be given later by the European Commission. There will most probably be a performance test (traction or braking on snow) required to designate a tyre as a true snow tyre.

A number of tyre types are exempt from the rolling resistance and tyre noise regulation. These include tyres with a speed rating less than 80 km/h (speed symbol F), tyres with a seat diameter less than or equal to 254 mm (10-inch) or greater than or equal to 635 mm (25-inch), temporary T type spare tyres, tyres designed only to be fitted to vehicles registered for the first time before 01 October 1990, tyres with studs, retreaded tyres and professional off-road tyres.

All C1 (passenger car) tyres must confirm to the wet grip limits tabled below. These limits are the same as those in UN ECE R117.

All new types of C1 tyre must conform with the wet grip limits by November 1, 2012. Within a year all new types of passenger vehicles equipped with C1 tyres must meet the wet grip limits. All new C1 tyres manufactured as of November 1, 2014 must meet the wet grip limits, and no non-conforming C1 tyre manufactured before this date may be sold after May 1, 2017. C2 and C3 tyres are exempt from wet grip requirements, as are C1 tyres with a seat diameter less than or equal to 254 mm (10-inch) or greater than or equal to 635 mm (25-inch, C1 temporary T type spare tyres, C1 tyres designed only to be fitted to vehicles registered for the first time before 01 October 1990, C1 tyres with studs and C1 retreaded tyres.