1970L0311 — EN — 01.01.1973 — 001.001 — 1
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►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 8 June 1970
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the steering equipment for motor
vehicles and their trailers
(70/311/EEC)
(OJ L 133, 18.6.1970, p. 10)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►A1Act of Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland L 73 14 27.3.1972
▼B
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 8 June 1970
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
the steering equipment for motor vehicles and their trailers
(70/311/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament(1);
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2);
Whereas the technical requirements which motor vehicles must satisfy
pursuant to national laws relate, inter alia, to their steering equipment;
Whereas those requirements differ from one Member State to another;
whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the samerequirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules, in
order, in particular, to allow the EEC type approval procedure which
was the subject of the Council Directive(
3) of 6 February 1970 on the
approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the typeapproval of motor vehicles and their trailers to be applied in respect ofeach type of vehicle;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Directive, ‘vehicle’ means any motor vehicle
intended for use on the road, with or without bodywork, having at least
four wheels and a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres perhour, and its trailers, with the exception of vehicles which run on rails,agricultural tractors and machinery and public works vehicles.
Article 2
No Member State may refuse to grant EEC type approval or national
type approval of a vehicle on grounds relating to its steering equipment
if this equipment satisfies the requirements set out in the Annex.
Article 2 bis
Les États membres ne peuvent refuser ou interdire la vente,
l'immatriculation, la mise en circulation ou l'usage des véhicules pourdes motifs concernant leurs dispositifs de direction si ceux-ci répondentaux prescriptions figurant à l'annexe.
Article 3
The amendments necessary for adjusting the requirements of the Annex
so as to take account of technical progress shall be adopted inaccordance with the procedure laid down in Article 13 of the CouncilDirective of 6 February 1970 on the type approval of motor vehicles andtheir trailers.1970L0311 — EN — 01.01.1973 — 001.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 160, 18.12.1969, p. 7.
(2) OJ No C 10, 27.1.1970, p. 18.
(3) OJ No L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1.▼A1
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▼B
Article 4
1. Member States shall put into force the provisions containing the
requirements needed in order to comply with this Directive within
eighteen months of its notification and shall forthwith inform the
Commission thereof.
2. Member States shall ensure that the text of the main provisions of
national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive arecommunicated to the Commission.
Article 5
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1970L0311 — EN — 01.01.1973 — 001.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
1. DEFINITIONS
1.1 Steering equipment
‘Steering equipment’ means all the equipment the purpose of which is
to alter the direction of movement of the vehicle.
The steering equipment may be considered to include:
— the steering control;
— the steering gear;— the steered wheels;
— where applicable, special equipment to produce additional or
independent power
1.1.1 Steering control
‘Steering control’ means the part directly operated by the driver in order
to steer the vehicle.
1.1.2 Steering gear
1.1.2.1 In the case of motor vehicles, ‘steering gear’ means all the components
between the steering control and the steered wheels, with the exception
of the special equipment referred to in item 1.1.4. The steering gear
may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electric or a combination of
any of these.
1.1.2.2 In the case of trailers, ‘steering gear’ means all the components which
transmit to the steered wheels the force necessary in order to obtain a
change in the direction of movement of the vehicle.
1.1.3 Steered wheels
‘Steered wheels’ means the wheels the alignment of which may be
altered directly or indirectly in relation to that of the vehicle in order to
obtain a change in the direction of movement of the vehicle.
1.1.4 Special equipment
‘Special equipment’ means that part of the steering equipment by which
additional or independent power is produced. Additional or independent
power may be produced by any mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or
electrical system, or by any combination of these (for example by an oil
pump, air pump or battery).
1.2 Different types of steering equipment
1.2.1 Depending on the source of power which is necessary for the deflection
of the steered wheels, the following types of steering equipment are
distinguished:
1.2.1.1 manual steering equipment in which the steering power is provided
solely by the muscular power of the driver;
1.2.1.2 assisted steering equipment in which the steering power is provided
both by the muscular power of the driver and by the special equipment
referred to in item 1.1.4.
1.2.1.3 servo-steering equipment in which the steering power is provided solely
by the special equipment referred to in item 1.1.4.
1.3 Steering effort
‘Steering effort’ means the force exerted by the driver on the steering
control in order to steer the vehicle.
2. CONSTRUCTION, FITTING AND INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
2.1 General requirements
2.1.1 The steering equipment must ensure easy and safe handling of the
vehicle; if necessary, the vehicle must be equipped with assisted
steering.
2.2 Detailed requirements
2.2.1 Steering control
2.2.1.1 The steering control must be easy to use and easy to handle. It must be
designed in such a way as to permit gradual deflection. The direction of
movement of the steering control must correspond clearly to the desired
change in the direction of the vehicle.1970L0311 — EN — 01.01.1973 — 001.001 — 4
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2.2.1.2 The steering effort required to achieve a turning circle of 12 metres
radius, starting from the dead ahead position, must not exceed 25
kilogrammes.
In the ease of assisted steering devices, if the auxiliary power supply
fails the steering effort required must not exceed 60 kilogrammes.
2.2.1.3 In order to check compliance with the requirement in item 2.2.1.2
above, the vehicle shall describe a spiral movement at a speed of 10
kilometres per hour, starting from the dead ahead position. The steering
effort on the steering wheel shall be noted up to the moment when the
steering wheel reaches the position corresponding to the vehicle
entering aturning circle of 12 metres ra dius; the steering effort must not
exceed the values laid down. The duration of the manoeuvre (time
between the moment when the steering control is first operated and the
moment when it reaches the position where the measurements are
taken) must not exceed four seconds in normal cases and six seconds if
the additional power supply fails. One manoeuvre must be made to the
right and one to the left.
For the test, the vehicle must be loaded to its technically permissible
maximum weight; the tyre pressures and also the distribution of the
weight between the axles must be as indicated by the manufacturer.
2.2.2 Steering gear
2.2.2.1 It must be possible to steer the vehicle even in the event of total or
partial failure of the hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical components of
the steering gear.
2.2.2.2 Mechanical steering gear must be designed in such a way as to meet
any operational requirements. They must be easily accessible for
maintenance and inspection.
2.2.3 Steered wheels
2.2.3.1 The rear wheels must not be the only steered wheels. This requirement
does not apply to semi-trailers.
2.2.3.2 Motor vehicles the rear wheels of which are also steered must be
subjected to the following test:
2.2.3.2.1 The driver must be able to keep the rear wheels in a straight line,
without making any abnormal steering correction, on a flat and
horizontal road at a speed of 80 kilometres per hour or at the maximum
design speed if this is less than 80 kilometres per hour.
2.2.3.3 Trailers must also be subjected to the test specified in item 2.2.3.2.1, at
a speed of 80 kilometres per hour or at the technically permissible
speed stated by the manufacturer if the latter is less than 80 kilometres
per hour, in the following cases:
— where the trailer is equipped with more than one axle having steered
wheels,
— where the trailer is a semi-trailer equipped with at least one axle
having steered wheels(*)
2.2.4 Special equipment
2.2.4.1 Servo-steering equipment is not permitted.
2.2.4.2 When an assisted steering device does not have its own source of
additional power, it must include a power reservoir. If the source of
power used is compressed air, the reservoir of compressed air must be
protected by anon-return va lve.
2.2.4.3 It must be possible to steer the vehicle even if the special equipment
fails.1970L0311 — EN — 01.01.1973 — 001.001 — 5
(*) As corrected by the corrigendum published in OJ No L 196 of 3 September 1970.