Many industry practitioners confuse UN-R144 with EU eCall regulations, leading to compliance risks. This article sorts out UN-R144 standard system, certification item classification and applicable product scope in plain language.

1. UN-R144 Standard Version Iteration

UN Regulation No.144 is a unified UNECE automotive safety regulation under the 1958 Agreement, officially effective in 2018, applicable to M1 passenger cars and N1 light commercial vehicles.

UN-R144 is a framework regulation specifying certification structure, performance indicators and compliance logic, referencing external standards for test methods:

·Legacy eCall: Referencing EN 16062 and EN 16454

·UN R144 Rev.1 (Latest Version 2023): Integrated NG eCall technical framework, referencing CEN/TS 17184 and CEN/TS 17240 with 4G/5G IMS architecture support.

Regional implementation differences:

·EU Market: Promote NG eCall via EU 2024/1180 with phased transition; new M1 vehicles migrate to IMS architecture, while existing derivative models and light commercial vehicles enjoy long-term 2G/3G exemption. Claims of full 2G/3G ban by 2026-2027 are overstated.

·EAEU/Russia Market: Follow TR CU 018/2011 + ERA-GLONASS access rules. Unofficial rumors of 2025 UN-R144 revision, mandatory GLONASS+Beidou dual-mode and 60-second cold start limit have no official regulatory basis. Official rule: GLONASS mandatory, Beidou/GPS/Galileo optional; cold start time is design reference, not access threshold.

Technical reality: EAEU currently only supports CS-mode eCall, with no official NG eCall mandatory timeline released; EU 2G/3G phase-out rules cannot be applied to the Russian market.

  2. Four UN-R144 Certification Project Segments

·Part I/A: Complete standalone eCall system device certification (e.g., T-Box whole machine). The most mainstream option with certificated devices referenceable by multiple vehicle models, maximizing cost performance for multi-platform automakers.

·Part I/B: Single component/sub-module certification (GNSS receiver, communication baseband module, dedicated antenna). Certificates cannot be directly used for vehicle customs clearance, only for Tier 1 supplier supply chain management.

·Part II: Vehicle Integration Certification: For automakers integrating valid Part I/A certified devices, only verifying vehicle integration impact without repeating full device testing.

·Part III: Full Vehicle Certification: For vehicles with uncertified self-developed eCall systems, requiring complete device + integration testing. No physical crash test required, all verified via bench signal injection.

Path selection logic: Prioritize Part I/A device certification if no pre-certified device available; choose Part II integration certification with valid Part I/A certificates; Part I/B is only for component suppliers.

  3. UN-R144 Certified Product Scope

Vehicle Category Coverage

·Mandatory scope: M1 (≤9-seat passenger cars) and N1 (≤3.5-ton light commercial vehicles).

·Excluded scope: M2/M3 large passenger buses and heavy-duty trucks follow separate Russian emergency call regulations, not covered by UN-R144 mandatory requirements.

System Level Coverage

UN-R144 applies to AECS (Accident Emergency Call System), covering collision perception, MSD assembly, voice call establishment and GNSS positioning core functions. It can be designed as an independent T-Box unit or distributed modular integration; both structures are acceptable for certification with clear certification subject definition.

External purchased GNSS/communication modules can apply Part I/B component certification, but most laboratories recommend managing them as controlled parts rather than separate certification to avoid interface adaptation cost increases.

  4. Practical Operation Key Points

·Applicant Rules: Overseas manufacturers can directly apply for UN-R144 approval, while an EAEU local authorized representative is practically indispensable for document submission, Russian material preparation and authority communication.

·ERA-GLONASS Positioning: Not an independent parallel regulation, but a mandatory built-in access link for EAEU eCall. UN-R144 EAC certificate proves technical compliance; ERA-GLONASS network filing proves real PSAP docking capability, both indispensable for Russia legal sales.

·EU Test Report Mutual Recognition: Core GNSS positioning, trigger logic and MSD transmission test data can be reused to shorten cycle and cost. Russia GOST MSD field adaptation, ERA physical joint debugging and local operator compatibility testing cannot be exempted.

  5. Product Selection Suggestion

Automakers with existing EU eCall certification can save EAEU testing costs via test item mapping. Most mainstream overseas T-Box solutions support GLONASS multi-mode positioning by default, requiring only simple chip scheme confirmation without additional engineering modification.

For Eurasian Union UN-R144 certification, consult Blueasia technical certification advisor: 13534225140