Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The UN Economic Commission for Europe’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations has approved the first global regulations for fully autonomous driving systems (ADS), marking a major milestone for self-driving vehicles. These rules establish common safety criteria and a standardized validation method to build trust among governments, industry stakeholders, and the public by ensuring automated driving systems meet rigorous safety standards.
The new framework requires manufacturers to implement audited safety management systems that cover the entire life cycle of an ADS. They must ensure test environments, including virtual testing tools, comply with strict credibility standards, and that their automated systems do not pose unreasonable risks. Ongoing performance monitoring and reporting after deployment are mandatory to assess real-world performance. Vehicles must also include data storage systems that preserve safety-relevant information for regulatory oversight.
According to the regulation, autonomous driving performance should match or exceed that of competent human drivers. This includes managing all driving functions, such as steering, accelerating, decelerating, and signalling. Manufacturers must demonstrate robust design and compliance through simulations, controlled track tests, and real-world trials.
The regulation is supported by major automotive markets including Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and is expected to take effect in about one month. The forum also adopted around 90 amendments to existing UN regulations to keep them relevant for vehicles with ADS, including those without traditional driver controls, supporting further innovation in vehicle design.