World CV, Engine Manufacturers Seek Regulation Harmonization

Dec. 5, 2011
European, North American and Japanese heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers have decided to establish in 2012 a stronger administrative support for the activities of the annual Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting and its objective of global harmonization of heavy-duty vehicle regulations

European, North American and Japanese heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers have decided to establish in 2012 a stronger administrative support for the activities of the annual Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting and its objective of global harmonization of heavy-duty vehicle regulations.

The decision was taken at the Global Meeting of the industry executives in Tokyo this week. The Global Secretariat will coordinate and monitor the progress of different tasks assigned by the Global Meeting of the industry executives, under the leadership of an Executive Secretary.

The main issues to be covered by the global secretariat include:

· World harmonized diesel certification (WHDC)

· Global fuel specification

· Heavy duty hybrid certification

· Fuel efficiency improvements

The secretariat was assigned a number of tasks to deliver in the short term:

· Certified Engine Maps – drafting a proposal for a global procedure

· Vehicle Mission Cycles -- identifying and agreeing on principles for the definition of cycles

· Total Vehicle Drag – drafting proposals for global procedures for measuring air, rolling, driveline and auxiliary drags

· Vehicle Control Strategies (VCS) – explore the inclusion of VCS in computer simulation

Longer-term issues to be covered are:

· Higher Capacity Vehicles (HCV)

· Performance-based standards for HCV

· International loading units

The Global Secretariat will be set up and lead in 2012 by Stefan Larsson, a long-term employee of Volvo Group who has worked at European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) since 1997. Larsson’s main fields of experience include global vehicle regulations and product certification as well as vehicle emission, CO2 and air quality issues. He has been involved in the organization of the Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meetings since their start in 2003.