The May decree 855 formalized car production under simplified rules that echo older standards. A detailed comparison of the differences between these cars and their predecessors appears in the latest issue of Behind the Wheel, written by Sergey Zinoviev.
Most adjustments center on safety. In essence, the regulation retreats to standards that were common about a decade and a half ago.
What will actually change?
Major Safety Changes in 2022
- Two crash tests have been removed from the mandatory list: side impact and frontal impact with overlap. Since foreign models still undergo crash testing during factory evaluations, the absence of local testing does not presently threaten design integrity.
- Anti-lock braking systems and the stability program ESP are no longer mandatory. They may be present, but their operation is not required, which has clear implications for overall crash safety.
- The approach to steering column safety, seat integrity, head restraints, seat belts, and airbags has been simplified, reducing some of the protective guarantees previously expected.
- Vehicles can no longer be equipped with ERA-GLONASS; the previously issued license has simply been extended instead of renewed as a new requirement.
Airbags and ERA-GLONASS are now discussed separately in the regulatory framework. Pillows are not yet universally mandatory in the simplified lineup. For instance, last year a vehicle model introduced a side airbag for a design that could not accommodate a front airbag, and this feature remains tied to ERA-GLONASS functionality rather than a universal safety obligation.
As it stands, the ERA-GLONASS system will also be optional. Even when installed, without cushions the system would function in a manual mode, requiring the driver or passenger to engage it during an accident. Yet not every vehicle in the simplified category will include these cushions, which limits automated protective benefits in certain scenarios.
Further detail on how the new technical regulations shape car construction under the simplified framework can be found in the June issue of Behind the Wheel. The publication will be available soon.
- The first simplified model slated for production is the Lada Granta, with manufacturing expected to begin as early as June.
- Behind the Wheel is also available for reading on Odnoklassniki.
The summary above reflects analysis from Sergey Zinoviev’s article Simplification, as published in Behind the Wheel.