The DVN Tokyo Workshop presented a unique opportunity for GTB President Geoff Draper to gather the views of representatives of JASIC, MLIT/NTSE, JAMA, JAPIA, JELMA, the Chinese CATARC organisation, Audi and Visteon. The rubric was “How the approach to global harmonisation of lighting and light-signalling regulation needs to be changed to encourage the introduction of new technologies and to support manufacturers to be competitive without compromising safety”.
Chairing the panel discussion, Draper introduced the session by welcoming the following distinguished experts:
Takayuki Amma, Koito Chairman of the JAPIA Lighting Committee
Teruyoshi Fujita, Toyota Chairman of the JAMA Lighting Committee
Wolfgang Huhn, Audi Presenting the views of a European Car Manufacturer
Rainer Neumann ,Visteon Presenting the views of a Europe Equipment Maker
Yuki Tsukada, NTSE Lab Presenting the views of the Japan. MinistryTransport
Ushio Ueno, JASIC Executive Director
Tatsumi Yoshida, JELMA Chairman of Tech. Com. for Automotive Bulbs
Yuntang He, CATARC CATARC China, written contribution
Presentation of GTB
GTB comprises experts from vehicle manufacturers, system manufacturers, light source manufacturers, testing laboratories, regulatory groups and academia, working to assure traffic safety through the efficient adaptation to technical progress of the regulations relating to automotive lighting systems and their installation
 GTB 113th Session – Copenhagen – May 201 |
To launch the discussion, Draper identified four main emerging themes:
1. Product Innovation
New technologies and their convergence present new regulatory challenges for Regulators. Vehicle lighting and signalling has evolved as a complex vehicle system involving LED light sources, sophisticated optical systems, sensors and data processors operating together to produce driver assistance systems. Regulation is required to assure that safety is not compromised by poor systems.
2. Commercial Considerations
Innovative solutions sell cars and provide a competitive advantage but frequently innovation and the need to regulate are in conflict. Vehicle manufacturer’s need to launch an innovation to gain a competitive advantage and are not prepared to provide the details necessary to formulate an amendment. This results in an increasing trend to find an interpretation of the existing text of a regulation that leads to potential conflict as administrations will not always agree on an interpretation of another administration and this results in competition distortion.