24 October 2024
UNECE Regulation No. 149 outlines the approval standards for road illumination devices used on vehicles, ensuring safety, performance, and reliability across various vehicle categories. This regulation covers a broad range of vehicle types, including two- and three-wheelers (Category L), passenger vehicles (Category M), goods vehicles (Category N), and agricultural and forestry vehicles (Category T). It plays a key role in harmonizing international standards for vehicle lighting systems, enhancing road safety while adapting to technological advancements in vehicle lighting.
Consolidation of Previous Lighting Regulations
One of the significant aspects of UNECE Regulation No. 149 is its consolidation of several older regulations into a single, streamlined framework. Prior to its introduction, multiple regulations governed the approval of different lighting systems, which created complexity for manufacturers and regulators alike. To simplify this, Regulation No. 149 combines the provisions of the following regulations:
- UN Regulation No. 19: Front fog lamps.
- UN Regulation No. 98: Headlamps equipped with gas-discharge light sources.
- UN Regulation No. 112: Headlamps with filament lamps.
- UN Regulation No. 113: Headlamps for motorcycles.
- UN Regulation No. 119: Cornering lamps.
- UN Regulation No. 123: Adaptive front-lighting systems (AFS).
The goal of consolidating these individual regulations is to increase clarity and simplify the regulatory landscape without changing any of the technical requirements already in force. This consolidation reflects the efforts of the UNECE Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling (GRE), which aimed to streamline and future-proof these standards.
Scope and Types of Devices Covered
Regulation No. 149 applies to the approval of road illumination devices, including:
Headlamps:
- Asymmetrical passing-beam headlamps: These are designed to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic while providing optimal illumination.
- Symmetrical passing-beam headlamps: Mostly used in specific vehicle types like motorcycles.
- Driving-beam headlamps: These provide long-range illumination and are often paired with passing beams.
Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS): These systems adjust the light distribution based on vehicle speed, road type, and driving conditions, enhancing visibility while minimizing glare.
Adaptive Driving-Beam (ADB): This system adjusts automatically to provide maximum road illumination while preventing glare for oncoming vehicles.
Fog Lamps and Cornering Lamps: Specialized lamps that improve visibility in low-visibility conditions and when turning corners.
Key Technical Provisions
1. General Technical Requirements
Road illumination devices covered under this regulation must meet rigorous technical standards to ensure consistent performance and durability. Devices must be constructed to withstand environmental factors such as vibrations, dust, and temperature changes, without compromising performance. They must also deliver adequate illumination for driving conditions while preventing excessive glare that could impair the vision of other drivers.
2. Light Source Specifications
Regulation No. 149 allows the use of various types of light sources, including traditional filament lamps, gas-discharge lamps, and LED modules. Devices must only use approved light sources that meet performance criteria, ensuring consistent quality across all installations. The regulation provides for the use of replaceable and non-replaceable light sources, as well as advanced modules integrated into adaptive lighting systems.
3. Photometric and Colorimetric Testing
To ensure that road illumination devices meet safety standards, they undergo photometric and colorimetric testing. These tests verify the luminous intensity and colour of the light emitted, ensuring that it meets the requirements for brightness and visibility under different driving conditions. Devices incorporating plastic materials, such as lenses, must also pass UV resistance and environmental durability tests.
4. Conformity of Production and Testing Procedures
Manufacturers must ensure conformity of production through regular sampling and testing. The regulation includes detailed conformity procedures, including requirements for sampling, photometric performance stability, and durability testing under real-world conditions.
Integration of Advanced Technologies
A key feature of Regulation No. 149 is its ability to accommodate advanced vehicle lighting technologies, particularly adaptive lighting systems:
Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS): These systems provide optimized illumination for different driving conditions, such as city driving, motorways, and adverse weather conditions. AFS systems adjust the light pattern dynamically to improve driver visibility without dazzling oncoming traffic.
Driver Assistance Projections: Regulation No. 149 also introduces provisions for integrating driver assistance systems into vehicle lighting. For example, driver assistance projections, which use modified passing-beam or driving-beam light distributions to project information onto the road, can be used to enhance safety. The regulation limits the intensity and colour of these projections to prevent them from distracting or dazzling drivers.
Unique Identifier System
In a move to modernize the approval process, Regulation No. 149 introduces the use of a "Unique Identifier" system. This system allows type-approval documentation to be stored in a secure UNECE database, eliminating the need for traditional approval markings such as the E-mark on the lamps themselves. This digital approach simplifies regulatory compliance, offering easier access to approval data. However, if the digital system is unavailable, conventional markings must still be used.
Testing and Compliance
All devices covered by Regulation No. 149 must meet strict testing and compliance standards, which include:
- Luminous Intensity and Light Distribution Testing: Verifies that the light emitted meets safety standards.
- Durability Testing: Ensures that devices can withstand environmental conditions and vibrations over time.
- UV Resistance: For devices incorporating plastic lenses, ensuring they remain clear and functional after prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Marking and Installation
All approved devices must bear the appropriate approval markings or Unique Identifier. These markings are crucial for identifying compliant devices and ensuring they are correctly installed on vehicles. For example, devices approved for both right-hand and left-hand traffic must have markings indicating how they should be adjusted for each traffic direction.
Conclusion
UNECE Regulation No. 149 represents a major step forward in harmonizing vehicle lighting standards. By consolidating several older regulations into a single, comprehensive framework, it simplifies compliance for manufacturers and ensures consistency in vehicle lighting performance across international markets. The inclusion of advanced technologies such as adaptive lighting systems and driver assistance projections reflects the regulation’s adaptability to modern automotive innovations, ensuring that it remains relevant in the rapidly evolving automotive industry. This regulation enhances road safety by ensuring that vehicles are equipped with high-performance lighting systems that provide optimal visibility without causing glare to other drivers.