Legal Specifications related to Braking Systems
Apart from the German national provisions specified by the Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO) (Road Transport Registration Authority) under § 41 "Brakes and Wheel Arresters", since 1980 the provision of the European Community ECE-R 13/O5 "Brake Systems" is also applicable to the Federal Republic of Germany. It is valid for all road vehicles with a design related maximum speed of more than 25 km/h (15 mph). It subdivides these vehicles into different classes according to the table shown. As an addition the classes of trailers are also mentioned here.
The vehicles of the classes M and N have to fulfill certain requirements according to the service, emergency, and parking brake system, which will be described more precisely in the following table.