48. The Chairman of GRE reported on the results of the eighty-eighth session of GRE (for details, see the report in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRE/88).

49. As the major highlight, he pointed out that GRE had adopted a new draft 09 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 48 (Installation of lighting and light-signalling devices), aimed to be submitted to the March 2024 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1, subject to final editorial verifications in October 2023. The representative from Japan appreciated the GRE’s adoption of the new draft 09 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 48 and urged that GRE would maintain this decision at its next session in October 2023. The GRE Chair explained that GRE had already agreed on the substantial items at the April 2023 session and that the remaining work scheduled for the October 2023 session of GRE on this issue is only editorial matter.

50. The GRE Chair further mentioned that for phasing out of the installation of older lamps/devices, GRE had also adopted new series of amendments to UN Regulations Nos. 53, 74 and 86.

51. The GRE chair pointed out that GRE was considering a possible ADS status light indicator, which should remain optional, thus giving each Contracting Party the opportunity to prohibit its use on their roads, for example, by mandatory deactivation. However, if fitted, the ADS status indicator should follow uniform provisions. To this end, GRE agreed that the best option seemed to be establishing a new hybrid UN Regulation to cover both functional specifications and installation requirements. However, the option of creating a new UN GTR should also be explored.

52. The representative of UK pointed out the complexity of the ADS indicator perception in traffic, because of the human machine interface (HMI). He also wondered whether the mutual recognition provisions of the 1958 Agreement would give countries the necessary legal flexibility when deciding on the application of a new hybrid UN Regulation on the ADS indicator.

53. The GRE Chair referred to the example of UN Regulation No. 65 where the technical provisions for the special warning lamps were harmonized, but the installation requirements were left to the discretion of individual countries. He also mentioned the possibility of permanent switching-off provisions, thus giving contracting parties the necessary flexibility.

54. The representative of ITU pointed out that the ADS status indicator essentially covers two separate issues:

1. give the police a tool to learn the ADS status of a vehicle – the issue being addressed by the IWG on ITS Task Force on Vehicular Communication; and
2. a universal ADS status light indicator, as suggested by some countries.

55. The representative of France pointed out that communication devices under (a) above were not available yet and, under these circumstances, a light status indicator could provide a temporary solution.

56. The representatives of the Netherlands and France indicated that WP.29 had already given GRE the mandate to start working on technical provisions for the ADS light indicator, upon understanding that a final decision on whether to then create a regulatory solution would be taken at a future session of WP.29. The representative of China also supported GRE working on technical provisions for the ADS indicator and pointed out that the legal form of a final document (UN Regulation or UN GTR) should be chosen at a later stage.

57. The GRVA Chair acknowledged the legal issue mentioned by the representative of UK, but held the view that GRE should start developing harmonized provisions, to avoid proliferation of non-harmonized requirements.

58. Finally, WP.29 decided to consider the topic in detail at its next session in November 2023.