At a meeting held from January 19 to 23, the Working Group of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) approved this regulation, which establishes uniform safety standards and testing methodologies for vehicles equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS).
As explained by the News Service, the completion of the draft underscores the importance of global regulatory platforms developed under the auspices of the UN. The harmonized rules created within the framework of the UNECE will help avoid fragmentation of national approaches and promote safety and innovation in the automotive industry, as noted by UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molchan.
According to the chair of the working group, Richard Damm, safety, innovation, and public trust can develop simultaneously. "By working on the international stage, we create clear conditions for business and confidence for consumers," he added.
The foundation of the new regulation is the 2022 Framework Document on Automated Vehicles, which defines key safety and protection principles, as well as recommendations for requirements and testing methods for ADS, adopted in June 2024.
The document will be presented at the World Forum of the UNECE on the harmonization of vehicle regulations. It is expected to be adopted at the next session scheduled for June 23-26, 2026, and if approved, it will come into force immediately.
According to the UN News Service, at the end of January, the U.S. Department of Transportation published an official list of questions regarding the draft regulation to formulate its position for the June vote.
China has also announced its intention to develop a national standard based on the structure of the global regulation and to begin collecting comments. Japan expressed its support and satisfaction with the achieved results, and several European countries also supported the creation of global regulation.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: UN Photo.
