SAFETY STANDARDS No. 12.1 [Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, Notification S. O. No. 873 (E) dtd. 15.12.1997, item No. 19, of Ministry of Surface Transport]. Incorporating Amendment No.1/ March 2001 ( amendment in blue colour & in italics) Tell Tale Systems and Controls for all Motor Vehicles other than 3 Wheeled Vehicles upto Engine Capacity 500cc, 2 Wheeled Vehicles and Tractors PUBLISHED BY THE AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION OF INDIA P. B. NO. 832, PUNE 411 004 ON BEHALF OF : DEPT. OF INDUSTRY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND MINISTRY OF SURFACE TRANSPORT GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
(1986) I N T R O D U C T I O N The question of prescribing Safety and Pollution Standards for automotive vehicles has been engaging the attention of the Government of India, Automotive Industry and Consumers. On pursuance of this objective Ministry of Industry, formed a committee to frame the safety standards and pollution standards. The Committee during its tenure formulated 36 safety standards. On the completion of the tenure of the Committee, the work of framing of safety standards has been entrusted to Automotive Research Association of India, under a project entitled 'Formulation of Safety Standards for Automotives'. These safety standards, exclusively, have drawn material from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Australian Design rules, EEC regulations and Indian Standards. These Standards are now under wide circulation as a preliminary to be converted into Indian Standards and will then be identified by an IS Number. These Standards are likely to become mandatory and take effect after the Government's regulation. (1993) This safety standard is modified based on the discussion held till date with various organisations concerned in executing and implementing the same to bring in line with the current trends and requirements. This standard has become mandatory under Rule No. 124 of CMV (A) R 1993 and takes effect from the Government s notification No. S. O. No. 201 (E) dtd. 26.3.93 by the Ministry of Surface Transport, Government of India. (1998) This safety standard is amended to include the amendments as recommended in part 1 of the recommendations of technical subcommittee set up to identify the changes in CMVR which have a technical bearing. This revised standard described as safety standard 12.1 supersedes all previous versions and is published by the Automotive Research Association of India. This standard takes effect from the Government of India notification S.O.No. 873 (E) dtd. 15.12.1997 issued by Ministry of Surface Transport (MOST). ARAI desires to call attention to the fact that this safety standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract.
Tell Tale Systems and Controls for all Motor Vehicles Other than 3 Wheeled Vehicles upto Engine Capacity 500cc, 2 Wheeled Vehicles and Tractors 1.0 Scope This standard specifies requirements for the location, identification, and illumination of motor vehicle controls and displays. 2.0 Purpose The purpose of this standard is to ensure the accessibility and visibility of motor vehicle controls and displays and to facilitate their identification and selection under daylight and night time conditions, in order to reduce the safety hazards caused by the diversion of the driver s attention from the driving task, and by mistake in selecting controls. 3.0 Application The standard applies to all vehicles other than 3 wheeled vehicles upto engine capacity 500cc, 2 wheeled vehicles & tractors. 4.0 Definitions 4.1 'Control' means that part of a device which enables the driver to bring about a change in the state of functioning of a vehicle. 4.2 'Selector switch' means a device by which the supply of electric current can be transferred from one or two or more circuits to others without the possibility of disconnection of the common supply line. 4.3 'Combined on/off - Selector switch' means a multifunction device which on first being actuated or put into position operates as an on/off switch and on each of the subsequent occasion when it is actuated or put into position operates as a selector switch. 4.4 'Indicator' means a device which presents information on the functioning or situation of a system or part of a system. For example a fluid level. 4.5 Tell-tale' means a display that indicates by means of a light emitting signal, the actuation of a device, a correct or defective functioning or condition, or a failure to function. 4.5 'Gauge' means a display that is listed in Clause 5.1 or in Table 2 and is not a tell tale. 1
4.7 'Informational readout display' means a display using light emitting diodes, liquid crystals, or other electro illuminating devices where one or more than one type of information or message may be displayed. 5.0 Requirements Every vehicle provided with any control listed in Clause 5.1 or in column '1' of Table '1' or-any display listed in Clause 5. 1 or in column '1' of Table '2' shall ensure that these meet the requirements of this standard for the location, identification and illumination of such controls or displays. 5.1 Location In the normal seating position and with seat adjusted to the convenience of the driver where possible, each of the control incorporated in the vehicle, shall be operable by the driver and each of the displays as-provided shall be visible to the driver. With the driver in the position as mentioned herein, tell-tales and informational readout displays are considered visible when activated. 5.1.1 Hand Operated Controls 5.1.1.1 The following will be the obligatory requirements - (a) Steering wheel (b) Ignition (c) Horn (d) Head lamp (e) Tail lamp (f) Parking lamp (g) Number plate lamp on/off control (h) Turn Signal (i) Manual Transmission shift lever (j) Windshield Wiper (k) High beam/low beam (not obligatory if provided as foot operated control) (l) Parking brake (if not foot operated) (m) Master Switch Electrical (mandatory only for tankers and vehicles carrying explosives). (n) Hazard warning signal Note : The tail lamp, parking lamp and number plate lamp shall be combined as a single unit for control purposes. The combination for other controls is optional. 2
5.1.1.2 The following will be the optional requirements: (a) Windshield washer (b) Windshield defrosting and defogging system (c) Rear window defrosting and defoging system (d) Manual choke (e) Automatic transmission control (f) Clearance lamps (g) Head throttle (h) Exhaust brake control (i) Master Switch Electrical. (j) Any other 5.1.2 Foot Operated Controls 5.1.2.1 The obligatory requirements will be as under- (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Service brake Accelerator Clutch (unless fitted with automatic transmission) Highbeam (Not obligatory if already provided in hand operated controls) Windshield wiper (Not obligatory if provided as hand operated control) Parking brake (if not hand operated) 5.1.2.2 The following will be the optional requirements - (a) (b) (c) Windshield washer. Exhaust brake control. Any Other 5.1.3 Displays 5.1.3.1 The following will be the obligatory requirements - (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) Speedometer Odomoter Turn Signal Fuel level Engine Coolant temperature Low Oil pressure Highbeam indicator Electrical charge indicator 3
5.1.3.2 The following will be the optional requirements (a) Gear position (b) Brake failure warning (c) Any Other 5.1.4 If colour displays are used, the colour code will indicate the following - (a) Red - Danger (b) Yellow - Caution or Amber (c) Green - Safe (d) Blue - For upper beam tell tale (e) White - For other conditions 5.2 Identification 5.2.1 Vehicle controls shall be identified as follows - (a) Any hand operated control listed in column 1 of Table 1 that has a symbol given in column 3 shall be identified by that symbol. Such a control may in addition be identified by the word or abbreviation shown in column 2. Any such control for which no symbol is shown in Table 1 shall be identified by the word or abbreviation shown in column 2. Additional words or symbols may be used at the discretion of the manufacturer. (b) The identification shall be placed on or adjacent to the control and be visible to the driver seated in his normal driving position and shall appear to the driver perceptually upright (except a turn signal control which is operated in a place parallel to the steering wheel). 5.2.1.1 The identification of a head lamp and tail lamp control that adjusts control and display illumination by means of rotation, or of any other rotating control need not appear to the driver perceptually upright. 5.2.1.2 The identification of a windshield washing control and horn which is operated in the direction parallel to the steering wheel need not appear perceptually upright to the driver. 5.2.2 Identification shall be provided for each function of any automatic vehicle speed system control and any heating and air conditioning system control, and for the extreme position of any such control that regulates a function over a quantitative range. If this identification is not specified in Tables 1 or 2, it shall be in word form unless colour coding is used. If colour coding is used to identify the extreme positions of a temperature control, the hot extreme shall be identified by the colour red and the cold extreme by the colour blue. 4
Example 1 : A slide lever controls the temperature of the air in the vehicle, heating system over a continuous range from no heat to maximurn heat. Since the control regulates a single function over a quantitative range, only the extreme positions require identification. Example 2 : A switch has three positions, for heat, defrost, and air conditioning. Since each position regulates a different function, each position must be identified. 5.2.3 Except for information readout displays, any display located within the driver compartment and listed in column 1 of Table 2 that has a symbol designated in column 4, shall be identified by that symbol. Such display may, in addition be identified by the word or abbreviation shown in column 3. Any such display for which no symbol is provided in Table 2 shall be identified by the word or abbreviation shown in column 3. Informational readout displays may be identified by the symbol designated in column 4 of Table 2 or by the word or abbreviation shown in column 3. Additional words or symbols may be used at the manufacturer's discretion for the purpose of clarity. The identification required or permitted by this section shall be placed on or adjacent to the display that it identifies. 5.3 Illumination - 5.3.1 Except for foot-operated controls or handoperated controls mounted upon the floor, floor console or steering column, or in the windshield header area, as per the identification required by Clause 5.2.1 or 5.2.2 of any control listed in column 1 of Table 1 shall be capable of being illuminated whenever the headlights are activated. However, control identification for a heating and airconditioning system need not be illuminated if the system does not direct air directly upon windshield. If a gauge is listed in column 1 of Table 2 and accompanied by the word 'yes' in column 5, then the gauge and its identification required by 5.2.3 shall be illuminated whenever the ignition switch and/or the headlamps are activated. Controls, gauges, and their identifications need not be illuminated when the head lamps are being flashed. A tell-tale shall not emit light except when identifying. 5.3.2 Except for informational readout displays, each discrete and distinct telltale shall be of the colour shown in column 2 of Table 2. The identification of each telltale shall be in a colour that contrasts with the lens, if a telltale with a lens is used. Any telltale used in conjunction with a guage need not be identified. The colour of informational readout displays will be at the option of the manufacturer. 5.4 A left hand drive vehicle should have the information suitably written/displayed at the rear with provision for lighting for night visibility from a distance of 20 meters or more. 5
TABLE 1 IDENTIFICATION AND VISIBILITY OF CONTROLS 1 2 3 Controls Identifying Words Identifying or Abbreviation Symbol Headlamp main beam Lights Turn Signal - Hazard Warning Signal Clearance Lamps System Windshield Wiping system Windshield Washing system Windshield Washing & Wiping Combined Heating and/or Air conditioning Fan Windshield Defrosting & Defogging System Rear Window Defrosting and Defogging System Hazard Clearance Lamps or CI Lps Wiper or Wipe Washer or Wash Wash Wipe Fan Defrost Defog or Def Rear Defrost Rear Defog or Rear Def Engine Start Start 1 Engine Stop stop 1 ManualChoke Choke 6
1 2 3 Controls Identifying Words Identifying or Abbreviation Symbol Hand Throttle Throttle - Automatic Transmission (Mfg Option) - Heating and Air Conditioning System (Mfg option) - 1 Use when engine control is separate from the key locking system. 2 Use also when clearance, identification, parking and/or side marker lamps are controlled with the headlamp switch. 3. Use also when clearance lamps, identification lamps and/or side marker lamps are controlled with the switch other than the headlamp switch. 4. Framed areas may be filled. 5. Parking lamp may be used as clearance lamp. TABLE 2 IDENTIFICATION AND VISIBILITY OF INTERNAL DISPLAYS 1 2 3 4 5 Display Tell-Tale Identifying Identifying Illumination Colour words or Symbol abbreviasion Turn Signal Tell-Tale Green - - Hazard Warning Red 4 or - - Tell-Tale Green Fuel Level Tell-Tale Yellow Fuel - or Red Guage - Fuel Yes Oil pressure Tell-Tale Red 4 Oil - Guage - Oil Yes 7
1 2 3 4 5 Display Tell-Tele Identifying Identifying Illumi- Colour words or Symbol nation abbrevation Coolant Temperature Tell-Tale Red 4 Temp - Gauge - Temp Yes Electrical Charge volts, Tell-Table Red 4 Charge or Amp. - Gauge - volts, Charge or Amp. Yes Speedometer 3 - km/h or KPH Yes Odometer 3 - km - Automatic Gear Position - - Yes High-Beam Tell-Tale Blue 4 or Green - - Brake Air Pressure Position Tell-Tale Red 4 - - Malfunction in Anti-Lock Yellow - - Malfunction in Brake system Red 4 - - 8
1. The pair of arrows is a single symbol. When the indicators for left and right turn operate independently, however, the two arrows will be considered separate symbols and may be spaced accordingly. 2. Not required when arrows of turn signal tell-tales that otherwise operate independently flash simultaneously as hazard warning tell-tale. 3. The Speedometer and Odometer indicate Kilometers per hour and Kilometers respectively. If speedometer or odometer are combined either km/h or km may be affixed. 4. Red can be red-orange. Blue can be blue-green. 5. Framed areas may be filled. 6. Wherever tell tales and gauges are specified either of them can be provided. 7. Identifying symbols for temperature gauge and battery can be of mirror image also. 9 Printed Feb. 98 (SS12.doc)