Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on speedometers for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles and amending Council Directive 92/61/EEC on the type- approval of two- or three-wheel motor vehicles
Date: 1998-05-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approval, motor vehicle, speed control, technical regulations, two-wheeled vehicle

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Brussels,  20.05.1998 

COM(1998) 285  final 

98/0163 (COD) 

Proposal for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE 

on speedometers for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles and 
amending Council Directive 92/61/EEC on the type-approval of 
two- or three-wheel motor vehicles 

(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

This proposal  for a Directive concerns speedometers for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles 
within  the  context  of  the  type-approval  procedure  for  such  vehicles  set  out  in  the 
(framework)  Council  Directive 92/61/EEC of 30 June  1992 (on  the type-approval  of two-
or three-wheel motor vehicles). It takes the form of an amendment to that Directive. 

The technical  requirements contained  in this proposal  relate to the design  of speedometers 
to be  fitted  in two- or three-wheel  motor vehicles, specifications  which  must - along with 
those for other parts and characteristics provided for in Annex I to the framework  Directive 
- be complied with for vehicles to be type-approved and put on the Community market. 

By this proposal, the  Commission  is responding  to  a request from the Benelux  countries 
for the  obligatory  fitting  of  speedometers  on  all  two-  or  three-wheel  motor  vehicles 
(except those with a maximum  design  speed of 25 km/h or less)  - in the interests  of road 
safety and environmental protection. 

The said countries stressed the need for drivers of two- or three-wheel motor vehicles to be 
in a position to comply at all times with speed  restrictions in force in the Member States -
without  being  able  to  invoke  the  fact  of  speedometers  being  non-obligatory  to  elude 
prosecution  in the event of infringements.  Whence the need for installation of speedometers 
in such vehicles. 

The Commission considers, however, that the motivations cited by the Benelux (road  safety 
and  environmental  protection)  for  making  speedometers  obligatory  for  vehicles  with 
maximum  design  speeds of over 25 km/h can be extended  to all motor vehicles subject  to 
the type-approval procedure. 

Indeed,  given  that  even  low-performance  mopeds  (within  the  meaning  of  the  note  to 
Annex I to  Directive  92/61/EEC)  can,  in  certain  circumstances,  attain  speeds  well  above 
their maximum design speed (25 km/h), it seems unwise to exempt these from the scope of 
this proposal. 

Moreover,  it  has  been  ascertained  that  the  majority  of  mopeds  (even  bottom-of-the-line 
models) marketed in the European Union are already today equipped with speedometers at 
construction, without this adding significantly to their price. 

In preparing this proposal, the Commission has based itself extensively on the requirements 
adopted by the United Nation's Economic Commission  for Europe in its Regulation No 39, 
believing  that  achievement  of equivalence between  this proposal's requirements  and those 
of that Regulation is all the more desirable in that this will facilitate access to the markets of 
third countries. 

Proposal for a 
EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

on speedometers for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles and 
amending Council Directive 92/61/EEC on the type-approval of 
two- or three-wheel motor vehicles 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 100a thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal  from the Commission1, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee2, 

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Articlel89b of the Treaty, 

( 1 )  Whereas, in every Member State, two- or three-wheel motor vehicles must, as regards 

speedometers,  display  certain  technical  characteristics  laid  down  as  compulsory 
requirements that vary from Member State to Member State; whereas  such variation 
constitutes an obstacle to intra-Community trade; 

(2)  Whereas such obstacles to the functioning  of the internal market can by eliminated by 
the  adoption  of  the  same  requirements  by  all  the  Member  States  in  lieu  of  their 
existing rules and regulations; 

(3)  Whereas this Directive is to be added to the separate Directives that must be complied 
with under Article 4 of Council  Directive 92/61/EEC of 30 June  1992 relating  to the 
type-approval  of  two-  or  three-wheel  motor  vehicles3,  as  amended  by  the  Act  of 
Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden; 

(4)  Whereas  the  introduction  of  harmonized  requirements  for  speedometers  in  two- or 
three-wheel  motor vehicles is necessary  in Order to permit  implementation,  for each 
type  of those  vehicles, of the  type-approval  and  approval  procedures  laid  down  by 
Directive 92/61/EEC; 

(5)  Whereas, in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity  and proportionality  as set 
out  in  Article  3b  of  the  Treaty,  the  objective  of  the  action  envisaged,  namely 
Community type-approval  by type of vehicle, cannot be sufficiently  achieved by the 
Member States  and  can therefore,  in view of the scale and  the impact  of the  action 
proposed, be better  achieved  at the Community  level; whereas  this  Directive  limits 
itself to the minimum  required  for the attainment  of that  objective  and does not go 
beyond what is necessary for that purpose; 

OJC 
OJC 

3  OJL 225,  10.8.1992, p. 72. 

(6)  Whereas, to facilitate access to the markets of third countries, it is clearly necessary to 
establish  equivalence  between  the  requirements  of  this  Directive  and  those  of 
Regulation No 39 of the Economic Commission  for Europe of the United Nations; 

(7)  Whereas Directive 92/61 /EEC should therefore be amended accordingly, 

HAVE ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIVE: 

Article 1 

1. 

This  Directive  shall  apply  to the  speedometer  of  each  type  of  vehicle  described  in 
Article 1  of Directive 92/61/EEC. 

2.  Any vehicle  falling  within  the  scope of Directive  92/61/EEC shall be  fitted  with a 

speedometer complying with the Annex to this Directive. 

Article 2 

The procedures  for the granting of component type-approval  in respect of the speedometer 
of  a  type  of  two-  or  three-wheel  motor  vehicle  and  the  conditions  governing  the  free 
movement  of  such  vehicles  shall  be as  laid  down  in,  respectively,  Chapters  II and  III of 
Directive 92/61/EEC. 

Article 3 

In  accordance  with  Article  11  of  Directive  92/61/EEC,  the  equivalence  between 
the requirements  laid  down  in this Directive  and  those  laid  down  in  the United  Nations' 
ECE  Regulation  No 39 
is 
hereby acknowledged. 

(document E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.l/Add.38/Amend.l) 

The authorities of the Member States which grant type-approval shall accept approvals, and 
type-approval  marks,  granted  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  Regulation  No 39 
referred  to  in  the  first  paragraph,  as  an  alternative  to  the  corresponding  approvals  and 
type-approval marks granted in accordance with the requirements of this Directive. 

Article 4 

The  amendments  that  are  essential  in  order  to  take  account  of  the  amendments  to  the 
United Nations' ECE Regulation referred to in Article 3 and to adapt the Annex to technical 
progress  shall  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  referred  to  in  Article  13 of 
Council Directive 70/156/EEC4. 

Directive 92/61/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 

Article 5 

1. 

In Annex I, item 45, the heading "Speedometer and odometer for motorcycles, motor 
tricycles  and  quadricycles"  is  replaced  by  "Speedometer  and  odometer"  and  the 
reference "CONF" is replaced by "SD"; 

4  OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1. 

2.  Annex II is amended as follows: 

(a) 

Item  4.7.,  "Speedometer  and  odometer:  yes/no  (1)" 
"Speedometer and odometer"; 

is  replaced  by 

(b)  The following new items 4.7.3. to 4.7.8., worded as follows, are added: 

"4.7.3. 

Photos and/or drawings of the complete system 

4.7.4. 

Range of speeds displayed 

4.7.5. 

Tolerance of the speedometer's measuring mechanism 

4.7.6. 

Technical constant of the speedometer 

4.7.7. 

Modus operandi and description of the drive mechanism 

4.7.8 

Overall transmission ratio of the drive mechanism." 

3. 

In Annex III, item  10.12., the heading "Speedometer and odometer  for motorcycles, 
motor tricycles and quadricycles" is replaced by "Speedometer and odometer" and the 
reference "CONF" is replaced by "SD". 

Article 6 

1.  Member  States  shall  bring  into  force  the  laws,  regulations  and  administrative 
provisions  needed  in order to comply  with  this Directive by  1 January  2001  at the 
latest, and shall forthwith  inform the Commission thereof. 

When  Member States  adopt  these provisions, these  shall  contain  a reference  to this 
Directive  or  shall  be  accompanied  by  such  reference  at  the  time  of  their  official 
publication. The procedure for such reference shall be adopted by Member States. 

2. 

The Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the provisions 
of domestic law which they adopt in the area covered by this Directive. 

3.  With  effect  from  the  date  set  out  in  the  first  subparagraph  of  paragraph  1, 
Member States may no longer prohibit, on grounds relating to the speedometers, the 
first  bringing into service of vehicles that meet the requirements of this Directive. 

4.  Member  States  shall  apply  the  requirements  set  out  in  the  first  subparagraph  of 

paragraph  1  as from 1  July 2001. 

Article 7 

This  Directive shall  take effect  from  the twentieth  day  following  that of  its publication  in 
the Official Journal of the European Communities. 

This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 

Article 8 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 

The President 

For the Council 

The President 

ANNEX 

1. 

Definitions 

For the purposes of this Directive: 

1.1 

1.1.1 

1.1.2 

1.1.3 

1.2 

1.3 

1.4 

1.5 

2. 

2.1 

2.2 

2.2.1 

"type of  vehicle  in  respect  of  its  speedometer"  means  vehicles  which  do not 
among  themselves  display  any  essential  differences,  where  those  differences 
can apply, in particular, to the following: 

the characteristics of the tyres normally  fitted; 

the overall transmission  ratio, including any adaptor (number of revolutions at 
the  speedometer  input  versus  one  rotation  of  the  wheel  spindle  driving  the 
speedometer, with the vehicle traveling in a straight line); 

the type(s) of speedometer;  the type will  be characterized  by the tolerance of 
the speedometers measuring mechanism, the device's constant and the range of 
speeds displayed; 

"tyres normally fitted" means the type(s) of tyres intended by the manufacturer 
for  the  type  of  vehicle  under  consideration  and  entered  in  the  information 
document annexed to Directive 92/61/EEC; 

Winter tyres shall not be considered to be the tyres normally fitted; 

"normal  running  pressure" means the  cold  inflation  pressure  specified  by the 
manufacturer, plus 0.2 bars; 

"speedometer" means that part of the equipment  intended  to inform  the driver 
of the speed of his vehicle at any given time; 

"mass in running order" means the mass as defined in the note (d) (2) to Annex 
II to Directive 92/61/EEC. 

Requirements 

The dial of the speedometer must be located within the direct field of view of 
the driver and must be clearly legible both day and night. The range of speeds 
displayed must be sufficiently  wide to include the maximum speed of this type 
of vehicle as stated by its manufacturer. 

Where  the  speedometer  includes  a  dial  instead  of  a  digital  readout  that  dial 
must be clearly graduated. 

The subdivisions must be of  1, 2, 5 or  10 km/h. Speeds which are multiples of 
20 km/h must be displayed on the dial as follows: 

2.2.1.1 

where the maximum  speed  on the  dial  does not  exceed  200 km/h,  the  speed 
intervals shown on the dial must not exceed 20 km/h; 

2.2.1.2 

where the  maximum  speed  on the dial  exceeds  200 km/h,  the  speed  intervals 
shown on the dial must not exceed 30 km/h; 

2.2.2 

where  a  vehicle  intended  for  sale  in  a  Member  State  using  where  imperial 
distances  are  used,  the  speedometer  must  additionally  be  graduated  in  mph 
(miles per hour), with subdivisions of 1, 2, 5 or 10 mph. Speed intervals on the 
dial must not exceed 20 mph; 

2.2.3 

the intervals between the indicated speeds do not have to be uniform. 

2.3. 

2.3.1 

2.3.2 

2.3.3 

2.3.4 

The  accuracy  of  the  speedometer  will  be  checked  in  accordance  with  the 
following procedure: 

The tyres will be one of the tyres normally fitted to the vehicle. A test will have 
to  be  carried  our  for  each  of  the  types  of  speedometer  intended  by  the 
manufacturer. 

The load on the wheel spindle driving the speedometer will have to correspond 
to the mass in running order. 

The  reference  temperature  of  the  speedometer  position  must  lie  between 
296K±5K. 

During each test the tyre pressure must be the normal running pressure defined 
in item  1.3. 

2.3.5 

The vehicle will be tested at the following speeds: 

Maximum speed (Vmax) 
stated by the manufacturer 
(km/h) 

Test speed 
(km/h) 

Vmax < 45 

20 and 80% of Vnm (if the resultant 
test speed > 35) 

45<Vl i m^100 

40 and 80% of Vnm (if the resultant 
test speed > 55) 

100<Vmax<150 

40, 80 and 80% of V^  (if the 
resultant test speed > 100) 

150<Vmax 

40, 80 and 120 

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2.3.6 

the checking  device  used  to measure  the  actual  speed  of  the  vehicle  must be 
accurate to at least ± 0.5%; 

2.3.6.1 

2.3.6.2 

2.3.7 

3. 

3.1 

3.2 

if the tests are carried out on a track the surface of this must be flat and dry and 
provide sufficient  grip; 

if  a  rolling-road  dynamometer  is  used  for  the  test  the  rollers  must  have  a 
diameter of at least 2 m. 

the speed displayed  must never be lower than the actual speed. Between speed 
V,  read  from  the  speedometer  dial  and  actual  speed  V2  there  must  be  the 
following relationship with the test values specified  in item 2.3.5. and between 
those values: 

0<V1-V2<0,l.V2  + 4km/h. 

Conformity of production 

Conformity  of production  will  be  checked  on  the  basis  of  the  provisions  of 
Annex VI to Directive 92/61/EEC. 

Production models will be considered to meet the requirements of this directive 
if,  under  the  conditions  referred  to  items  2.3.1.  to  2.3.6.,  the  relationship 
between speed V, read on the speedometer and actual speed V2 is as follows: 

0<V,-V2<0,l.V2  + 8km/h. 

Appendix 1 

INFORMATION  DOCUMENT 
CONCERNING THE FITTING OF A  SPEEDOMETER 
TO A TYPE OF TWO- OR THREE-WHEEL MOTOR VEHICLE 

(to  be  attached  to  the  application  for  approval  if  this  is  lodged  separately  from  that  for 
approval of the vehicle) 

Order No (assigned by the applicant) 

The  application  for  approval  in  respect  of  the  fitting  of  a  speedometer  to  two-  or 
three-wheel  motor vehicles must include the information referred to in the following  items 
in Section A, Annex II to Directive 92/61/EEC: 

0.1. 

0.2. 

0.5. 

0.6. 

2.1. 

2.1.1. 

4.7. to 4.7.8. 

5.2. 

5.2.2. 

10 

Appendix 2 

TYPE-APPROVAL  CERTIFICATE 
IN RESPECT OF THE FITTING OF A SPEEDOMETER TO A 
TYPE OF TWO- OR THREE-WHEEL MOTOR VEHICLE 

Model 

Name of competent authority 

Report No 

by testing body 

of. 

Component type-approval No: 

Extension No: 

1.  Make or trade name of vehicle 

2. 

3. 

Type of vehicle: 

Name and address of manufacturer: 

4.  Where appropriate name an address of the manufacturer's representative: 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Vehicle submitted  for component type-approval on: 

Component type-approval granted/refused(1} 

Place: 

Date: 

9. 

Signature: 

(i)  Delete as appropriate. 

11 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(98) 285 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

07  15  10  06 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-98-340-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-36484-3 

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