World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations | Session 176 | 12-16 Nov 2018
Geneva
Agenda Item 8.2.
Consistency between the provisions of the 1968 Vienna Convention and the technical provisions for vehicles of UN Regulations and UN GTRs adopted in the framework of the 1958 and 1998 Agreements

134. The Secretary of WP.1 informed WP.29 about activities of mutual interest for the WPs. He provided information on the progress in harmonizing lighting provisions in the 1968 Vienna Convention and the UN Regulations on lighting annexed to the 1958 agreement, stating that relevant amendment proposals would be ready for adoption by the March or September 2019 sessions of WP.1.

135. The representative of the WP.1 informed the World Forum about the adoption of the “Global Forum on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1) Resolution on the deployment of highly and fully automated vehicles in road traffic” (ECE/TRANS/WP.1/2018/4/Rev.1).

136. The Secretary of WP.1 further informed WP.29 about two papers that are expected to be completed and presented at the March 2019 session of WP.1, providing advancement on:

  1. Issues dealing with situations when the driver operates the vehicle from outside;
  2. Activities other than driving, in automated vehicles of level three and higher.

137. He recommended WP.29 to consult WP.1 informal document No. 9 (2018) submitted by the European Transport Safety Council, titled “Literature Review on the Impact of Task Activity on Takeover from Automated Driving”.
138. He further informed WP.29 that the Secretary of WP.1 recognized the need for additional amendments to the 1968 Convention related to the use of highly automated vehicles.
139. He informed WP.29 that WP.1 had celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the 1968 Agreement on 8 November 2018.

140. He mentioned the activities of ECE related to the United Nations Trust Fund on Road Safety, that $15 million had been contributed thus far, and invited delegations and stakeholders that would wish to make contribution to the fund to contact him or the Director of the Sustainable Transport Division.

141. The representative of Finland, as the Ambassador of WP.29 to WP.1 recommended that WP.29 review the WP.1 resolution to avoid inconsistencies between WP.1 work and WP.29 activities. He explained that he would no longer attend WP.29 or WP.1 for the time being and that WP.29 may wish to consider a successor.

142. The World Forum thanked and commended Mr. E. Asplund for his dedicated work.

143. The WP.1 secretary invited members of the World Forum to actively participate in the joint WP.1-WP.29 event on 18 February 2019 (see para. 39 above)

Documentation
WP.1/165 Report of the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety on its 77th session
WP.1/2018/4 Draft resolution on the deployment of highly and fully automated vehicles in road traffic