25. The representative of Japan introduced, on behalf of China, European Union, Japan and the United States of America, WP.29-178-10/Rev.2 containing amendments to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/34 – Framework Document on Automated/autonomous Vehicles. He explained that the amendments included editorial amendments as well as a restructured Table 1 containing details on (i) current activities, (ii) expected future activities and (iii) references to the key safety principles mentioned in the document.

26. The representative of the Republic of Korea introduced WP.29-178-19, proposing additional amendments to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/34. The representative of Sweden proposed to insert into Table 1 considerations related to para. 4 (j) regarding vehicle inspection. The representative of CITA supported the position of the representative of Sweden.

27. WP.29 adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/34 as amended by WP.29-178-10/Rev.2 and requested the secretariat to issue it as a reference document with the symbol ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/34/Rev.1.

4. The Chair informed GRVA that WP.29 agreed the general approach outlined in the draft framework document on automated/autonomous vehicles (WP.29-177-19) and directed GRVA to use the issues, topics and deliverables from the document as guidance to inform its further discussions on structuring its work and delivery plans. He noted that WP.29-177-19 was distributed by the secretariat with an official symbol (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/34) for consideration at the June 2019 session of the World Forum. He also noted that World Forum expected GRVA to report at the June 2019 session on its proposed structure, and to propose Terms of Reference (ToRs) for IWGs in this respect.

5. The Chair mentioned that some Contracting Parties expressed the need to amend the table in the framework document and the Secretary introduced a note by the secretariat GRVA-03-09-Rev.1 capturing positions expressed during the three virtual meetings with the Contracting Parties organized by the Chair aimed at facilitating the development of the ToRs.

6. The expert from EC thanked the secretariat for the preparation of document GRVA-03-09-Rev.1. He asked whether the content of Annex II was necessary as it was also contained in GRVA-03-10. The expert from the United States of America proposed to keep this Annex in square brackets.

7. The expert from Germany welcomed the document. He considered that the list of items in Annex 2 was not exhaustive and therefore should only be provided to the IWG as ideas for consideration. He also noted the ambitious deadlines proposed.

8. The expert from OICA noted the late availability of this document and highlighted the need to ensure the completion of current activities when considering future IWGs.

9. The expert from AAPC requested some clarifications on the scope of activities on Functional Requirements and on VMAD. GRVA agreed to consider this when drafting the ToRs.

10. The expert from ITU highlighted some industrial priorities on localization, data storage for automated driving, driver monitoring and transition demands. He noted the need to make progress on these activities as they could have costly hardware implications in case of delay.

11. The expert from Sweden inquired about the work on Roadworthiness of Automated Vehicles. GRVA responded that these activities were essentially a task of the ACSF group and remained current under the ACSF activities.

12. Following the interventions from the European Commission, Japan, United States of America, GRVA agreed that the work to be done on the drafting of Terms of Reference for IWGs would be performed on the basis of Table 1 in this document.

13. The Chair introduced GRVA-03-10, a draft document containing Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedures for four Informal Working Groups. He explained that he drafted one single document aimed to support the drafting of ToR by providing an overview of all activities to avoid unnecessary overlaps.

14. The expert from Germany introduced GRVA-03-11, GRVA-03-12 and GRVA-03-13 with separate Terms of Reference for each of the new IWGs. He stated that he proposed less ambitious deadlines than those of the Framework document.

15. The expert from Spain proposed to merge the approach presented.

16. GRVA noted that the mandate for the Task Force on Cyber Security and OTA issues had been extended by one year by WP.29 in March 2019 and deferred discussion on further activity for this group.

17. The expert from the European Commission preferred to work on the basis of Table 1 in GRVA-03-09-Rev.1. He noted that the work could be done in phases e.g. prioritizing activities on highway, urban and then interurban conditions. He stated that short terms deliveries could be defined without explicitly defining mid-term deliveries at this stage.

18. The expert from OICA preferred a use case approach and a function approach. He stated that priorities should be carefully defined. He recalled as an example that the work on ALKS was prioritizing passenger cars over those for heavy-duty vehicles. He opined that this would not be acceptable for the industry on longer terms.

19. ToRs for the Functional Requirements, Vehicle Test Methods and Data Storage Systems/Event Data Recorders were developed during the session.

20. GRVA reviewed GRVA-03-17 and revised the draft during the session to include references to existing standards and guidelines as proposed by Spain and the United States of America respectively. This approach formed the template for drafting ToRs for the Test Methods group (VMAD) and a revision of the GRSG proposal for an IWG on EDR/DSSAD.

21. GRVA agreed that the draft Terms of Reference as reproduced in GRVA-03-20, GRVA-03-21 and GRVA-03-22 should be transmitted to WP.29 for consideration at the June 2019 session (see Annexes III to V of the session report). GRVA agreed that the work on the items proposed in Table 1 of GRVA-03-09-Rev.1 already started, subject to final endorsement by WP.29 at its June 2019 session.

22. GRVA agreed that the existing objectives of the IWG on ACSF should not be affected by the new IWG on FRAV. GRVA agreed that the IWG on FRAV should structure its activities to allow the leadership of the IWG on ACSF to finish its work e.g. common timing and venues for ACSF and FRAV sessions.

23. GRVA briefly discussed the leadership of the IWG. GRVA agreed on the need for a global representation including Asia/Pacific, Europe and North America. GRVA was informed of Countries willing to contribute to the leadership of the IWGs (see Annex II of the session report). GRVA concluded that the leadership question would be decided by WP.29 at its June 2019 session.

58. GRSG noted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/2 and WP.29-177-19 on the work priorities of WP.29 and AC.3 on automated/connected vehicles and their decision that GRSG should resume its work on developing a new UN Global Technical Regulation (UN GTR) on Event Data Recorder (EDR).

59. The expert from OICA presented GRSG-116-42 on the position of the automotive industry to support developing this a new UN regulation on EDR and, in parallel, a Data Storage System for Automated Driving vehicles (DSSAD). She added that discussions on DSSAD had already taken place at the Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA), particularly in its IWG on Automatically Commanded Steering Functions (ACSF). She concluded that the functions of both systems, EDR and DSSAD, were different but the hardware could be the same and, therefore, should be developed in parallel. The experts from Germany and CLEPA endorsed that position and underlined the urgency to work on these subjects.

60. The expert from the Netherlands suggested establishing an informal working group under GRSG and GRVA to develop draft regulatory proposals for new UN regulations on EDR for conventional and automated/autonomous vehicles, and on DSSAD. The experts from China and Japan welcomed that initiative and offered to contribute to the activities. GRSG agreed on the need to establish an IWG on EDR/DSSAD (possibly under GRSG and GRVA).

61. The expert from the Netherlands introduced GRSG-116-43 (tabled jointly by the experts from Japan and the Netherlands) which proposed a first draft of the terms of reference and rules of procedure for the new IWG on EDR/DSSAD. GRSG considered the document in detail and noted some amendments to the proposal, given in GRSG-116-43-Rev.1. GRSG also noted several concerns on the feasibility of the tasks within the timeline as stipulated in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the proposal. GRSG requested the secretariat to transmit GRSG-116-43-Rev.1 to GRVA for further consideration at its special June 2019 session.

62. Following the intervention of some delegations on the urgency of these new activities, GRSG agreed to proceed, in the meantime, on the basis of a TF on EDR.

63. GRSG agreed to resume consideration of this subject at its next session in October 2019 based on the outcome of TF meetings. The Chair announced that he would inform the World Forum WP.29, the Coordination Committee AC.2 and the Executive Committee AC.3 at their forthcoming sessions in June 2019.

11. AC.2 reviewed and discussed documents WP.29-177-04 and WP.29-177-08. Following discussions among GR Chairs, Japan offered to merge them into a single framework document on automated/autonomous vehicles to be transmitted to WP.29 for discussion (WP.29-177-19).

25. The representative of the United Kingdom, Chair of GRVA, introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/2. He proposed to delay the adoption of this document until the review of WP.29-177-19, which was under preparation at that time.

39. The secretariat recalled the series of meetings between December 2018 and March 2019 that led to the preparation of WP.29-177-19 and presented the informal document following which the World Forum had a wide-ranging discussion.

40. The representatives from AAPC, CLEPA, Sweden, and the United States of America offered their views and questions on how the existing ongoing activities were to be included in the document. The representative of the United Kingdom, who had assisted in preparing the document explained that it was aimed at setting the strategic vision for WP.29 in this framework document rather than to intervene in how GRVA would structure its work plan. For this reason, it did not provide much details on these aspects. The representative of the European Union clarified that the said ongoing activities would be addressed as a part of the identified priorities included in the table contained in the document.

41. The representatives of Australia, China, European Union and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomed the document.

42. The representative of Japan thanked all involved delegates for their efforts to prepare a framework document for automated/autonomous vehicles based on the contributions from the European Union and the United States of America, including the prioritized topics and working management, as the framework document was vital to coordinate the activities and solve concerns of stakeholders.

43. He also mentioned that Japan would support this direction and emphasized the importance of further discussions based on informal document WP.29-177-19, which was submitted for discussion at this session of WP.29.

44. He stated that the special session of GRVA in June 2019, before the next session of WP.29, would be a good opportunity to discuss ToRs based on the document as well as the draft regulations on cyber security and software update. He also expressed the willingness of Japan to contribute to discussions for the establishment of those items.

45. He recalled the internal discussions, at political level, about the external Human Machine Interface (HMI) related to automated/autonomous vehicles, specified in the formal document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2019/2. He underlined the importance of the function, informing the surrounding of the vehicle when it is driven in an automated mode above Level 3, to ensure safety of traffic participants around.

46. The World Forum agreed the general approach outlined in WP.29-177-19 and directed GRVA to use the issues, topics and deliverables from the document as guidance to inform its further discussions on structuring its work and delivery plans. WP.29-177-19 would be transformed into a formal document for the 178th session. The World Forum expected GRVA to report at the June 2019 session on its proposed structure, and ToRs of informal groups in this respect.