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UNECE works on new standards to increase the safety of trucks and coaches

Geneva 
UNECE’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) is working on a new Regulation to increase the safety of trucks and coaches that could save thousands of lives.
This UNECE Regulation will lay down the technical requirements for the approval of Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) fitted on trucks and coaches. AEBS employ sensors to monitor the proximity of the vehicle in front and detect situations where the relative speed and distance between the two vehicles suggest that a collision is imminent. In such a situation, emergency braking can be automatically applied to avoid the collision or at least to mitigate its effects.
According to a European study, the fitting of AEBS on trucks and coaches could save up to 1,000 lives per year and 4,000 serious injuries in the European Union alone, and many more worldwide since it will encourage manufacturers to fit AEBS as standard on trucks and coaches for a wider range of markets.
The new Regulation is being prepared by the Working Party on Braking and Running Gear (GRRF), which should finalize its work by the end of 2011. As part of this work, GRRF will host a live demonstration of trucks and coaches fitted with Advanced Emergency Braking Systems on 12 May 2011 in Geneva.
The European Union (EU) has already announced that these systems will become mandatory for new vehicles from 2013. The EU will use the UNECE Regulation as a basis for the approval of such systems.
Once the regulation is adopted, GRRF may elaborate further requirements for other categories of vehicles (cars, vans, etc). Furthermore, the capability of such systems could be expanded in the future to cover other types of accident (for example, pedestrian accidents or even head-on collisions).
For more information, please visit: http://live.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grrf/grrfage.html
Note to editors
The Working Party on Braking and Running Gear (GRRF) is one of the six subsidiary bodies of UNECE’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). It deals in particular with worldwide vehicle regulations for braking systems and tyres. These Regulations are applied by many countries i.e.  the European Union, Russian Federation and Japan.
The demonstration with heavy duty vehicles fitted with AEBS of 12 May 2011 is organized by the European Association of Automobile Suppliers (CLEPA). The demonstration will take place at the Touring Club Suisse  - Centre de Conduite du Plantin.
Ref: ECE/TRANS/11/P10

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