Understanding the Australian Automotive Design Rules (ADRs)

 This discussion will focus on the content and relevance of the Australian Design Rules for lighting on cars, trucks, motor cycles, mopeds and trailers.

A brief history 

The ADRs define the specifications required of various essential components and functions of the vehicles. These include tyres, brakes, engine emissions, body strength, seat belts and lights amongst others. There are presently about 70 different ADRs each relating to a different essential facet of a vehicle.

Vehicles were manufactured to comply with Consolidated Draft Regulations (CDRs) as of about 1979. This was a very crude system compared to the current one. The second edition ADRs were introduced in Dec 1986. They were much more comprehensive than CDRs, but still did not cover all the lights on vehicles.

The third edition was introduced on 2nd Aug 1989. This is the current edition presently being used. After much delay the timing of a “sunset” clause was extended numerous times until  in 1992 the third edition became mandatory. It is a comprehensive document which is quite closely based on the European Economic Commission (ECE) Regulations.

The third edition consists of text taken verbatim from ECE documents which is then partially struck out where Australia’s Federal Office of Road Safety (FORS) considers that the ECE requirements are not suitable for Australian conditions. Some minor additions have also been made by FORS. A new edition is currently under review. The major thrust of the changes proposed relate to increased uniformity with the ECE specifications.

Each of the ADRs listed in this Lab Note relate to a type or group of lights. Within the ADR are all the rules relating to the design, manufacture, documentation and performance of the lights. It is a legal document which is steeped in jargon, and as such is quite daunting to the uninitiated.

Vehicle categories and codes

Throughout the ADRs reference is made to different types of vehicles, with each type being given a code. Table 1 below lists the Vehicle Category Code for each Vehicle Category. 

Term	Description
LA	Moped 2 wheels
LB	Moped 3 wheels
LC	Motor cycle
LD	Motor cycle & side-car
LE	Motor tricycle
MA	Passenger car
MB	Forward control Passenger vehicle
MC	Off-road passenger vehicle
MD	Light bus
ME	Heavy bus
NA	Light goods vehicle
NB	Medium goods vehicle
NC	Heavy goods vehicle
TA	Very light trailer
TB	Light trailer
TC	Medium trailer
TD	heavy trailer

Table 1 : Vehicle categories

Not all ADRs apply to all types of vehicles. Some ADRs do have relevance to all vehicles (e.g. ADR 51/00 - Filament Globes), while others are specific to a particular type of vehicle (e.g. ADR 19/01 - Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles).

Terminology

Some of the important terms and definitions relating to lighting ADRs are listed below.

Vehicle Category Code	Description
ECE Regulation	United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation. Regulations made by the ECC in agreement with the various ECC countries for the uniformity of vehicles.
SAE Standards	The Society of Automotive Engineers Inc. (USA) Standards.
JIS Standards	Japanese Industrial Standards.
Tristimulus Values of Light (x,y,z)	The proportion of each of the three primary “colours” required to match the perceived colour of a particular light.
Colorimetry	Concerning the measurement of colour.
Photometry	Concerning the measurement of qualities associated with light. Photometry may be either visual or physical. Visual : Where the eye makes the comparison between two light sources. Physical : Where measurements are made by means of a light detector device.
Luminous intensity	A measure of the intensity of light emitted in a given direction ie. Similar to a jet of water from a garden hose. The unit is the candela (cd).
Luminous flux	A measure of the amount of visible radiation emitted by a source within an angular region. It is equivalent to adding up the luminous intensity in all of the directions within the region then dividing by the solid angle of the region. by adding up The unit of measurement is lumen (lm).
Illuminance	The quantity of luminous flux (light) when projected onto a surface. Measured in lux (lumens per square metre).

Table 2 : Important terms.

Lighting related ADRs

ADR	Summary
ADR 1/00 Reversing Lamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for reversing lamps.
ADR 6/00 Direction Indicator Lamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for direction indicator lamps. There are three categories: Cat 1 - front indicators, Cat 2a - rear indicators, Cat 5 - supplementary side markers
ADR 13/00 Installation of Lighting and Light Signaling Devices on other than L-Group Vehicles	Identifies mounting requirements for lighting devices for L group vehicles (see Table 1). Included are: the orientation, arrangement and number of lamps on a vehicle, whether the presence of a lamp is mandatory, tell-tale requirements. The standard defines lighting related terms, including: Independent Lamps, Group Lamps, Combined Lamps and Reciprocally Incorporated Lamps, as well as giving the everyday description of lamps in general usage. It also defines Light Technical Parameters such as the dimensions and shape of a lamp's illuminated surface, the axis of reference, the angles of geometric visibility and the colour of a lamp.
ADR 19/01 Installation of Lighting and Light Signaling Devices on L- Group Vehicles	Similar to the content of ADR 13 when applied to L group vehicles.
ADR 45/01 Lighting and Light Signaling Devices not covered by ECE Regulations	Covers the requirement for: Side Marker Lamps, External Cabin Lamps, Passenger Car Side Marker Lamps, Search Lamps, Internal Lamps, Rear Marking Plates, Daytime Running Lamps, Cornering Lamps and Conspicuity Lamps.
ADR 46/00 Headlamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for headlamps to provide adequate illumination for the driver of the vehicle, without producing undue glare for other road users. Separate requirements are set down for the “passing beam” (dipped beam) and the “driving beam” (main beam).
ADR 47/00 Reflex Reflectors	Specifies the dimensional, photometric and stability requirements for reflex reflectors, so that they can effectively warn road users of the presence of a vehicle.
ADR 48/00 Rear Registration Plate Illuminating Devices	Specifies the requirements for rear registration plates, including: the dimensions of the plate, the visibility of the illuminating lamp and the luminance of the illuminated plate.
ADR 49/00 Front and Rear Position, Stop and End-outline Marker Lamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for rear position, stop and end outline marker lamps.
ADR 50/00 Front Fog Lamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for front fog lamps.
ADR 51/00 Filament Globes	Describes the physical characteristics and photometric requirements for filament light sources used in lighting devices. Light sources are divided into a number of categories, each designated by a letter and in most cases further classified by sub groupings using numerical values. For example: H1 is a specifier for headlamp light sources, W5W is a 5W wedge base lamp.
ADR 52/00 Rear Fog Lamps	Specifies the photometric and colorimetric requirements for rear fog lamps.
ADR 53/00 Position, Stop, Direction Indicator and Rear Plate Lamps for L-Group Vehicles	Similar to the content of ADR 49 when applied to L group vehicles.
ADR 60/00 Centre High-mounted Stop Lamps	Specifies requirements for centre high-mounted stop lamps. The lamps supplement the functionality of regular stop lamps.
ADR 67/00 Installation of Lighting on Three-Wheeled Vehicles	Requirements specific to 3 wheeled vehcicles.

Table 2 : Lighting related ADRs