This International Standard addresses light-duty vehicles, e.g. passenger cars, pick-up trucks, light vans and sport utility vehicles (motorcycles excluded) equipped with MALSO systems. It specifies minimum functionality requirements which the driver can generally expect of the device, i.e. detection of and information on the presence of relevant obstacles within a defined (short) detection range. It defines minimum requirements for failure indication as well as performance test procedures; it includes rules for the general information strategy but does not restrict the kind of information or display system.
MALSO systems use object-detection devices (sensors) for ranging in order to provide the driver with information based on the distance to obstacles. The sensing technology is not addressed; however, technology affects the performance-test procedures set up in this International Standard (see Clause7). The current test objects are defined based on systems using ultrasonic sensors, which reflect the most commonly used technology at the time of publishing this International Standard. For other sensing technologies possibly coming up in the future, these test objects shall be checked and changed if required.
Visibility-enhancement systems like video-camera aids without distance ranging and warning are not covered by this International Standard.
Reversing aids and obstacle-detection devices on heavy commercial vehicles are not addressed by this International Standard; requirements for those systems are defined in ISO/TR12155.