Industry News
European Commission prepares new rules on tyre noise
17th October 2007
After the European Commission’s first consultation for several years on maximum permitted tyre noise ended recently, the European environmental transport lobby group T&E has called for an overall reduction of at least five decibels. It reports the EC is planning a new tyre noise regulation before the end of this year, reportedly to include both noise and rolling resistance, as a constituent of its planned regulation to impose a 130 g/km CO2 emissions limit for cars by 2012.
The current EU tyre noise standards were introduced six years ago. T&E policy officer Nina Renshaw said in the group’s latest newsletter: “Even when they were introduced, the existing standards were easily met by most of the tyres on the market. Given wider tyres increasingly coming onto the market, it’s essential the EU proposes, without delay, effective standards to cut noise from passenger and commercial tyres, and we’re suggesting 5dB or more across the board.”
There are, says T&E, already tyres on the market 8dB quieter than the current maximum limit, so a 5dB reduction would be technically feasible and need not compromise other aspects of tyre performance. T&E also says further tightening should follow in 2016, for which indications should be agreed now.
The EC, says T&E, said earlier this month that it would continue collecting data on overall vehicle noise until 2009-10, and would only then consider legislation to tighten existing standards.
(www.transportenvironment.org/docs/Bulletin/2007/2007_10_bulletin_162.pdf)
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