Only the original UN/ECE texts have legal effect under international public law. The status and date of entry into force of this Regulation should be checked in the latest version of the UN/ECE status document TRANS/WP.29/343, available at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29fdocstts.html

Regulation No 80 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (UN/ECE) — Uniform provisions concerning the approval of seats of large passenger vehicles and of these vehicles with regard to the strength of the seats and their anchorages 2019/1724

Incorporating all valid text up to:

Supplement 3 to the 03 series of amendments — Date of entry into force: 10 February 2018

CONTENTS

REGULATION

1. Scope

2. Definitions

3. Application for approval

4. Approval

5. Requirements for seats

6. Requirements for seat anchorages of a vehicle type

7. Requirements for installation of seats in a vehicle type

8. Conformity of production

9. Penalties for non-conformity of production

10. Modification and extension of approval of the seat type and/or the vehicle type

11. Production definitively discontinued

12. Transitional provisions

13. Names and addresses of Technical Services responsible for conducting approval tests and of Type Approval Authorities

APPENDICES

1. Test procedures for seats according to paragraph 5 and/or anchorages according to paragraph 6.1.2 and/or the installation of side-facing seats according to paragraph 3 of Appendix 7

2. Test procedure for the anchorages of a vehicle in application of paragraph 6.1.1

3. Measurements to be made

4. Determination of acceptability criteria

5. Static test requirements and procedure

6. Energy absorption characteristics of the rear part of seat backs

7. Requirements for the safeguarding of passengers in side-facing seats according to paragraph 7.4.4

ANNEXES

1. Communication concerning the approval or refusal or extension or withdrawal of approval or production definitively discontinued of a seat type or types with regard to its (their) strength, pursuant to Regulation No 80

2. Communication concerning the approval or refusal or extension or withdrawal of approval or production definitively discontinued of a type of vehicle with regard to the strength of the seat anchorages pursuant to Regulation No 80

3. Arrangements of approval marks

4. Procedure for determining the ‘H’ point and the actual torso angle for seating position in motor vehicles

1. SCOPE

1.1. This Regulation applies to:

(a) Passenger seats for forward-facing installation in vehicles of categories M2 and M3, of Classes II, III and B (1);

(b) Vehicles of categories M2 and M3 of Classes II, III and B (1) in respect of their passenger seat anchorages and seat installation.

(c) It does not apply to rearward-facing seats or to any head restraint fitted to these seats.

1.2. At the request of the manufacturer, vehicles of category M2 (1) approved to Regulation No 17 shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this Regulation.

1.3. Vehicles where some seats benefit from the derogation provided in paragraph 7.4 to Regulation No 14 shall be approved to this Regulation.

1.4. The installation of side-facing seats shall be prohibited in vehicles of categories M2 (of class II, III and B) and M3 (of class II, III and B) with the exception of vehicles of category M3 (of class II, III and B) of a technically permissible maximum laden mass exceeding 10 tonnes provided the requirements of paragraph 7.4 are met.

1.5. Paragraph 1.4 shall not apply to ambulances or to vehicles intended for use by the armed services, civil defence, fire services and forces responsible for maintaining public order.

2. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Regulation:

2.1. ‘Approval of a seat’ means an approval of a seat type as a component in relation to the protection of the occupants of forward-facing seats with regard to their strength and the design of the seat backs;

2.2. ‘Approval of a vehicle’ means an approval of a vehicle type with regard to the strength of the parts of the vehicle structure to which seats are to be secured, and with regard to the installation of seats;

2.3. ‘Seat type’ means seats which do not differ essentially with respect to the following characteristics likely to affect their strength and their aggressiveness:

2.3.1. Structure, shape, dimensions and materials of the load bearing parts;

2.3.2. Types and dimensions of the seat back adjustment and locking system;

2.3.3. Dimensions, structure and materials of the attachments and supports (e.g. legs);

2.4. ‘Vehicle type’ means vehicles which do not differ essentially in respect of:

2.4.1. The constructional features relevant to this Regulation; and,

2.4.2. The type or types of type approved seat(s) fitted to the vehicle, if any.

2.5. ‘Seat’ means a structure likely to be anchored to the vehicle structure, including its trim and attachment fittings, intended to be used in a vehicle, and to seat one or more adult persons. Depending on its orientation, a seat is defined as follows:

2.5.1. ‘Forward-facing seat’ means a seat which can be used while the vehicle is in motion and which faces towards the front of the vehicle in such a manner that the vertical plane of symmetry of the seat forms an angle of less than +10 ° or -10 ° with the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle.

2.5.2. ‘Rearward-facing seat’ means a seat which can be used while the vehicle is in motion and which faces towards the rear of the vehicle in such a manner that the vertical plane of symmetry of the seat forms an angle of less than +10 ° or -10 ° with the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle.

2.5.3. ‘Side-facing seat’ means a seat which can be used whilst the vehicle is in motion and which faces towards the side of the vehicle in such a manner that the vertical plane of symmetry of the seat forms an angle of 90 ° (± 10 °) with the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle;

2.6. ‘Individual seat’ means a seat designed and constructed for the accommodation of one seated passenger;

2.7. ‘Double seat’ means a seat designed and constructed for the accommodation of two seated passengers side by side; two seats side by side and having no interconnection shall be regarded as two individual seats;

2.8. ‘Row of seats’ means a seat designed and constructed for the accommodation of three or more seated passengers side by side; several individual or double seats arranged side by side shall not be regarded as a row of seats;

2.9. ‘Seat cushion’ means the part of the seat which is arranged almost horizontally and designed to support a seated passenger;

2.10. ‘Seat-back’ means the part of the seat that is almost vertical, designed to support the passenger’s back, shoulders and, possibly, his head;

2.11. ‘Adjustment system’ means the device by which the seat or its parts can be adjusted to a position suited to the seated occupant;

2.12. ‘Displacement system’ means a device enabling the seat or one of its parts to be displaced laterally or longitudinally without a fixed intermediate position of the seat or one of its parts, to facilitate access by passengers;

2.13. ‘Locking system’ means a device ensuring that the seat and its parts are maintained in the position of use;

2.14. ‘Anchorage’ means a part of the floor or of the body of a vehicle to which a seat may be fixed;

2.15. ‘Attachment fittings’ means bolts or other components used to attach the seat to the vehicle;

2.16. ‘Trolley’ means the test equipment made and used for dynamic reproduction of road accidents involving frontal collision;

2.17. ‘Auxiliary seat’ means a seat for the manikin mounted on the trolley to the rear of the seat to be tested. This seat shall be representative of the seat to be used in the vehicle behind the seat to be tested;

2.18. ‘Reference plane’ means the plane passing through the points of contact of the heels of the manikin, used for the determination of the H point and the actual angle of torso for the seating position of motor vehicles according to the prescriptions of Annex 4;

2.19. ‘Reference height’ means the height of the top of the seat above the reference plane;

2.20. ‘Manikin’, a manikin corresponding to the specifications for HYBRID II or III (2) for forward-facing seats; or a manikin corresponding to the specifications for side impact dummy according to Regulation No 95, Annex 6 for side facing seats;

2.21. ‘Reference zone’, means the space between two vertical longitudinal planes, 400 mm apart and symmetrical with respect to the H-point, and defined by rotation from vertical to horizontal of the headform apparatus, described in Regulation No 21, Annex 1. The apparatus shall be positioned as described in that annex to Regulation No 21 and set to its maximum length of 840 mm and its minimum length of 736 mm for residual limitation of said space;

2.22. ‘3-point belt’ for the purposes of this Regulation also includes belts with more than three anchorage points;

2.23. ‘Seat spacing’ means, in the case of seats facing in the same direction, the distance between the front of a seat squab and the back of the seat squab of the seat preceding it, measured horizontally at the height of 620 mm above the floor.

3. APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL

3.1. The application for approval of a seat shall be submitted by the seat manufacturer or by his duly accredited representative.

3.2. The application for approval of the vehicle shall be submitted by the vehicle manufacturer or by his duly accredited representative.

3.3. The application for approval of a seat or a vehicle shall be accompanied by the following documents in triplicate and the following particulars:

3.3.1. For approval of a seat:

3.3.1.1. A detailed description of the seat, its attachment fittings and its adjustment, displacement and locking systems;

3.3.1.2. Drawings, on an appropriate scale and in sufficient detail, of the seat, its attachment fittings and adjustment, displacement and locking systems;

3.3.2. For approval of a vehicle:

3.3.2.1. A detailed description of the parts of the structure of the vehicle used as anchorages;

3.3.2.2. Drawings, on an appropriate scale and in sufficient detail, of the parts of the vehicle used as anchorages.

3.4. The following shall be submitted to the technical service responsible for the approval tests:

3.4.1. Two seats representative of the type to be approved, in the case of approval of a seat;

3.4.2. A part of the vehicle structure, in the case of approval of a vehicle.

4. APPROVAL

4.1. If the seat submitted for approval under this Regulation meets the relevant requirements of paragraph 5 below, approval of that seat type shall be granted.

4.2. If the vehicle submitted for approval under this Regulation meets the relevant requirements of paragraphs 6 and 7 below, approval of that vehicle type shall be granted.

4.3. An approval number shall be assigned to each type approved. Its first two digits (at present 03, corresponding to the 03 series of amendments) shall indicate the series of amendments incorporating the most recent major technical amendments made to the Regulation at the time of issue of the approval. The same Contracting Party shall not assign the same number to any other seat type or any other vehicle type.

4.4. Notice of approval or of extension or refusal of approval of a seat type and/or a vehicle type pursuant to this Regulation shall be communicated to the Parties to the 1958 Agreement applying this Regulation, by means of a form conforming to the model in Annex 1 and/or Annex 2 to this Regulation.

4.5. There shall be affixed, conspicuously and in a readily accessible place specified on the approval form, to every seat conforming to a seat type approved under this Regulation and to every vehicle conforming to a vehicle type approved under this Regulation an international approval mark consisting of:

4.5.1. A circle surrounding the letter ‘E’ followed by the distinguishing number of the country which has granted approval (3);

4.5.2. The number of this Regulation, followed by the letter R, a dash and the approval number, placed to the right of the circle prescribed in paragraph 4.5.1.

4.6. The approval mark shall be clearly legible and shall be indelible.

4.7. As the case may be, the approval mark shall be placed on the seat or seats or on, or close to, the data plate affixed to the vehicle by the manufacturer.

4.8. Examples of arrangements of approval marks are given in Annex 3.

5. REQUIREMENTS FOR SEATS

5.1. Each type of forward-facing seat shall be subject to the test requirements of either Appendix 1 (dynamic test) or Appendices 5 and 6 (static test) at the request of the manufacturer.

5.2. The tests which the seat type has passed shall be recorded in the communication form concerning the approval of a seat type and conforming to the model in Annex 1.

5.3. Every adjustment and displacement system provided shall incorporate a locking system, which shall operate automatically.

5.4. The adjustment and locking systems shall not be required to be in full working order after the test.

5.5. A head restraint shall be mounted on every outboard front seat in every vehicle of category M2 with a maximum mass not exceeding 3 500 kg. This head restraint shall comply with the requirements of UN Regulation No 25, as amended by the 04 series of amendments.

6. REQUIREMENTS FOR SEAT ANCHORAGES OF A VEHICLE TYPE

6.1. The anchorages for the seats of the vehicle shall be capable of withstanding:

6.1.1. Either the test described in Appendix 2;

6.1.2. Or, if a seat is mounted on the part of the vehicle structure being tested, the tests prescribed in Appendix 1. The seat need not to be an approved seat provided that it satisfies the requirements of paragraph 3.2.1 of the abovementioned appendix.

6.2. Permanent deformation, including breakage, of an anchorage or of the surrounding area shall be permissible provided that the prescribed force has been sustained throughout the prescribed period.

6.3. When there is more than one type of anchorage on a vehicle, each variant shall be tested in order to obtain an approval for the vehicle.

6.4. One test may be used to approve simultaneously a seat and a vehicle.

6.5. In the case of vehicles of category M3, seat anchorages shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2 if the safety-belt anchorages of the corresponding seating positions are fitted directly to the seats to be installed and these belt anchorages comply with the requirements of Regulation No 14, if necessary with the derogation provided in paragraph 7.4.

7. REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION OF SEATS IN A VEHICLE TYPE

7.1. All forward-facing seats installed shall be approved to the requirements of paragraph 5 of this Regulation and subject to the following conditions:

7.1.1. The seat shall have a reference height of at least 1 m; and

7.1.2. The H-point of the seat immediately behind shall be less than 72 mm higher than the H-point of the seat in question or, if the seat behind has the H-point more than 72 mm higher, the seat in question shall be tested and approved for installation in such a position.

7.2. When approved to Appendix 1, Test 1 and 2 shall apply, except as follows:

7.2.1. Test 1 shall not apply where the rear of the seat cannot be struck by an unrestrained passenger (i.e. there is no forward or side-facing seat directly behind the seat to be tested).

7.2.2. Test 2 shall not apply:

7.2.2.1. If the rear of the seat cannot be struck by a restrained passenger; or

7.2.2.2. If the seat behind is a forward-facing seat fitted with a 3-point belt with anchorages that comply fully with Regulation No 14 (without derogation); or

7.2.2.3. If the seat fulfils the requirements of Appendix 6 to this Regulation.

7.3. When approved to Appendices 5 and 6, all tests shall apply, except as follows:

7.3.1. The test of Appendix 5 shall not apply if the rear of the seat cannot be struck by an unrestrained passenger (i.e. there is no forward or side-facing seat directly behind the seat to be tested).

7.3.2. The test of Appendix 6 shall not apply:

7.3.2.1. If the rear of the seat cannot be struck by a restrained passenger; or

7.3.2.2. If the seat behind is a forward-facing seat fitted with a 3-point belt with anchorages that comply fully with Regulation No 14 (without derogation).

7.4. The installation of side-facing seats shall be subject to the following conditions:

7.4.1. The seat shall have a reference height of at least 1 m;

7.4.2. The plane through the H-points of adjacent side-facing seats shall be parallel to the reference plane;

7.4.3. The horizontal distance between the H-point lines of two adjacent side facing seats shall not exceed 725 mm and shall not be less than 450 mm, measured horizontally between the vertical longitudinal planes passing through the centres of these seating positions, (see Appendix 7, Figure 1); and

7.4.4. The passengers in side-facing seats shall be safeguarded by a vehicle part (e.g. partition, wall or seat back of a forward-facing seat) forward of the foremost side-facing seat. This vehicle part shall meet the requirements of Appendix 7. It shall maintain its safeguard function during testing.

8. CONFORMITY OF PRODUCTION

The conformity of production procedures shall comply with those set out in the Agreement, Appendix 2 (E/ECE/324-E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.2), with the following requirements:

8.1. Seats and or vehicles approved to this Regulation shall be so manufactured as to conform to the type approved by meeting the requirements set out in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 above.

8.2. In order to verify that the requirements of paragraph 8.1 are met, suitable controls of the production shall be carried out. In this case, suitable controls mean checking the dimensions of the product as well as the existence of procedures for the effective control of the quality of products.

8.3. The competent authority which has granted the Type Approval may at any time verify the conformity control methods applicable to each production unit and carry out on samples any test deemed necessary among the tests carried out for the approval. The normal frequency of these verifications shall be once a year.

9. PENALTIES FOR NON-CONFORMITY OF PRODUCTION

9.1. The approval granted in respect of a seat type and/or a vehicle type pursuant to this Regulation may be withdrawn if the requirements set forth above are not met.

9.2. If a Contracting Party to the Agreement applying this Regulation withdraws an approval it has previously granted, it shall forthwith so notify the other Contracting Parties applying this Regulation, by means of a communication form conforming to the model in Annex 1 and/or Annex 2 to this Regulation.

10. MODIFICATION AND EXTENSION OF APPROVAL OF THE SEAT TYPE AND/OR THE VEHICLE TYPE

10.1. Every modification of the seat type and/or the vehicle type shall be notified to the Type Approval Authority which approved the seat type and/or the vehicle type. The authority may then either:

10.1.1. Consider that the modifications made are unlikely to have an appreciable adverse effect and that in any case the seat and/or the vehicle still complies with the requirements; or

10.1.2. Require a further test report from the Technical Service responsible for conducting the tests.

10.2. Confirmation or refusal of approval, specifying the alterations shall be communicated by the procedure specified in paragraph 4.4 above to the Parties to the Agreement applying this Regulation.

10.3. The Type Approval Authority issuing the extension of approval shall assign a series number for such an extension and inform thereof the other Parties to the 1958 Agreement applying this Regulation by means of a communication form conforming to the model in Annex 1 and/or Annex 2 to this Regulation.

11. PRODUCTION DEFINITIVELY DISCONTINUED

If the holder of the approval completely ceases to manufacture a vehicle type approved in accordance with this Regulation, he shall so inform the authority which granted the approval. Upon receiving the relevant communication that authority shall inform thereof the other Parties to the 1958 Agreement applying this Regulation by means of a communication form conforming to the model in Annex 1 and or Annex 2 to this Regulation.

12. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

12.1. As from the official date of entry into force of the 02 series of amendments, no Contracting Party applying this Regulation shall refuse to grant approvals under this Regulation as amended by the 02 series of amendments.

12.2. As from 1 November 2012 Contracting Parties applying this Regulation shall grant approvals only if the requirements of this Regulation, as amended by the 02 series of amendments, are satisfied.

12.3. As from 1 November 2014, approvals granted in conformity to this Regulation shall cease to be valid, except those granted in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation as amended by the 02 series of amendments.

12.4. As from 1 November 2014, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation may refuse first national or regional registration (first entry into service) of a vehicle which has not been type approved in conformity with the requirements of the 02 series of amendments to this Regulation.

12.5. Even after the date of entry into force of the 02 series of amendments, approvals of the components to the 01 series of amendments to this Regulation shall remain valid and Contracting Parties applying this Regulation shall continue to accept them and shall not refuse to grant extensions of approval to the 01 series of amendments to this Regulation.

12.6. As from the official date of entry into force of the 03 series of amendments, no Contracting Party applying this Regulation shall refuse to grant approvals under this Regulation as amended by the 03 series of amendments.

12.7. As from 24 months after the date of entry into force of the 03 series of amendments Contracting Parties applying this Regulation shall grant approvals for new vehicle types only if the requirements of this Regulation, as amended by the 03 series of amendments, are satisfied.

12.8. Starting 60 months after the entry into force of the 03 series of amendments to this Regulation, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation may refuse national or regional type approval and may refuse first national or regional registration (first entry into service) of a vehicle which does not meet the requirements of the 03 series of amendments to this Regulation.

12.9. Even after the date of entry into force of the 03 series of amendments, approvals of components to the 01 or 02 series of amendments to this Regulation shall remain valid and Contracting Parties applying this Regulation shall continue to accept them and shall not refuse to grant extensions of approval to the 01 or 02 series of amendments to this Regulation.

13. NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF TECHNICAL SERVICES RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING APPROVAL TESTS AND OF TYPE APPROVAL AUTHORITIES

The Parties to the 1958 Agreement applying this Regulation shall communicate to the United Nations Secretariat the names and addresses of the Technical Services responsible for conducting approval tests and of the Type Approval Authorities which grant approval and to which forms certifying approval or extension or refusal or withdrawal of approval, issued in other countries, are to be sent.

(1) As defined in the Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3.), document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.6, para. 2 — http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29resolutions.html

(2) The technical specifications and detailed drawings of HYBRID II and III, corresponding to the principal dimensions of the fiftieth percentile male of the United States of America, and the specifications for its adjustment for this test are deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and may be consulted on request at the secretariat of the Economic Commission for Europe, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.

(3) The distinguishing numbers of the Contracting Parties to the 1958 Agreement are reproduced in Annex 3 to Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3), document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev. 6, Annex 3 — http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29resolutions.html