16. The expert from Canada, Co-Chair of the IWG on Validation Methods for Automated Driving (VMAD), briefed GRVA on the progress made by the group (GRVA-13-38). He informed GRVA on the nomination of a new VMAD Co-Chair and expressed gratitude to Mr. T. Onoda, the former Co-Chair from Japan. He detailed the status of the VMAD work and deliverables. He reported on the collaboration between FRAV and VMAD and on the Co-Chairs’ proposal for the next steps of the group.

17. GRVA reviewed GRVA-13-35 (New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving (NATM) Guidelines for Validating Automated Driving System (ADS) in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58). The expert from Canada explained that final updates to the document would be needed and discussed a potential process in order to include last minute modifications. GRVA noted that delegations would try to accommodate last minute modifications to allow a voting during the WP.29 session in June 2022.

18. GRVA endorsed in principle GRVA-13-35 and requested the secretariat to submit GRVA-13-35 (and subsequent editorial corrections, if available) to WP.29 for endorsement at its June 2022 session.

19. GRVA discussed the potential future activities of the group and agreed that the group would finalize its current tasks during the first 12 months of the mandate.

20. GRVA requested the Chair and the Secretary to draft an amendment proposal to the FDAV, detailing the envisaged milestones of VMAD for the extended mandate including a preview for the time beyond.

21. GRVA agreed to request AC.2 and WP.29 at their June 2022 sessions to extend the mandate of the IWG on VMAD until June 2024.

22. GRVA reconfirmed the document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/57 without modification for consideration and endorsement at the June 2022 session of WP.29.

33. The Chair of GRVA introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/57, with the proposal for the second iteration of the New Assessment / Test Method (NATM) – Master Document. He also introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58 amended by WP.29-187-08, a proposal for the NATM guideline for the validation of ADS. He presented WP.29-187-10, including the Guidelines and Recommendations concerning Safety Requirements for Automated Driving Systems. He presented ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/60, with the proposal for recommendations on uniform provisions concerning cyber security and software updates suitable for the purpose of the contracting parties to the 1958 and 1998 Agreements.

34. WP.29 congratulated GRVA for these achievements and endorsed the documents ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/57, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58 as amended by WP.29-187-08 ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/60 and WP-187-10. The Chair requested the secretariat to issue document WP-187-10 with an official symbol for the next WP.29 session.

26. The expert from Japan, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, presented GRVA-14-45 with a brief review of the group’s deliverables until June 2022, information regarding the change of the leadership of the VMAD subgroup four, suggestions for deliverables during the two years provided by the mandate extension by WP.29, and a report of the activities since the May 2022 session of GRVA (elaboration of GRVA-14-16, organization of future activities of the four subgroups, and the preparation of the suggestion for deliverables until June 2024). He listed the open issues addressed by each subgroup, he presented the proposed deliverables until June 2024 and he offered suggestions of the leadership team regarding the collaboration with the IWG on FRAV. He announced the invitation by Japan for FRAV and VMAD meetings in December 2022, including a joint session.

27. The experts from France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland asked for clarifications. GRVA endorsed the status report of the IWG on VMAD.

28. GRVA considered and endorsed GRVA-14-16, including amendments to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58 (Guidelines for Validating Automated Driving System).

21. The expert from the Netherlands, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, presented GRVA-15-38 with a brief review of the work and deliverables until June 2024, a reporting on VMAD activities since the September 2022 session of GRVA, considerations regarding the FRAV/VMAD collaboration and announcing the future VMAD meetings. He mentioned the excellent hosting by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and tourism (MLIT) and the Japan Automotive Standards Internationalization Center (JASIC) of the December 2022 meeting in Tokyo (Japan) which was complemented by an interesting symposium on the last day of the meeting week.

22. The expert from Canada, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, noted that the representation from industry was not what it used to be at IWGs meetings. He stated his surprise and the fact that it was in contrast with the ambitious roadmap proposed by industry. He noted the commitment of the contracting parties to join meetings to advance the work and hoped that industry would also strongly commit to these activities to support the group with expertise to help meeting the 2025 milestone proposed by industry. He mentioned that the Tokyo meeting offered the possibility for a session with FRAV and VMAD experts as well as a small group meeting to reflect on the integration of the FRAV and VMAD outcomes, which led to the drafting of an integration matrix (see para. 18). GRVA endorsed the status report.

23. GRVA endorsed the work prepared by the group, reflected in GRVA-15-26 updating ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58, the New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving (NATM) Guidelines for Validating Automated Driving System (ADS). GRVA requested the secretariat to submit GRVA-15-26 to WP.29 at its March 2023 session.

21. The expert from the Netherlands, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, presented GRVA-15-38 with a brief review of the work and deliverables until June 2024, a reporting on VMAD activities since the September 2022 session of GRVA, considerations regarding the FRAV/VMAD collaboration and announcing the future VMAD meetings. He mentioned the excellent hosting by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and tourism (MLIT) and the Japan Automotive Standards Internationalization Center (JASIC) of the December 2022 meeting in Tokyo (Japan) which was complemented by an interesting symposium on the last day of the meeting week.

22. The expert from Canada, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, noted that the representation from industry was not what it used to be at IWGs meetings. He stated his surprise and the fact that it was in contrast with the ambitious roadmap proposed by industry. He noted the commitment of the contracting parties to join meetings to advance the work and hoped that industry would also strongly commit to these activities to support the group with expertise to help meeting the 2025 milestone proposed by industry. He mentioned that the Tokyo meeting offered the possibility for a session with FRAV and VMAD experts as well as a small group meeting to reflect on the integration of the FRAV and VMAD outcomes, which led to the drafting of an integration matrix (see para. 18). GRVA endorsed the status report.

23. GRVA endorsed the work prepared by the group, reflected in GRVA-15-26 updating ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58, the New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving (NATM) Guidelines for Validating Automated Driving System (ADS). GRVA requested the secretariat to submit GRVA-15-26 to WP.29 at its March 2023 session.

24. The expert from Japan, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, presented GRVA-16-38 with a brief overview of deliverables until the WP.29 session in June 2024 and the two pillars of the work performed by the Group, one related to the four subgroups activities and the second related to the collaboration with the IWG on FRAV. He briefly introduced GRVA-16-39, containing updates to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2023/44, and therefore aimed to be tabled for consideration by WP.29 at its June 2023 session.

25. The expert from Sweden noted the late submission of GRVA-16-39 and inquired about the implication of the submission to WP.29. The Chair clarified that there would be no formal vote on that document at the June 2023 session of WP.29.

26. The expert from OICA pointed out that the ISMR provisions would require extensive reporting. She suggested to revisit this item to keep the of amount of data transmitted to a reasonable level and also to limit or avoid the overlap with the Data Storage Systems for Automated Driving (DSSAD) provisions. She added that vehicle manufacturers did not have access to all data listed in the current draft. She mentioned, as an illustrative example, that rather than the manufacturers, emergency responders had data on the number of victims and injured persons in case of road crashes.

27. The expert from Canada, Co-Chair of the Group, justified the potential big amount of data required by the fact that consumers expect certainty and that various jurisdictions also request data for their purposes. He noted that the identification of the entities that should receive the data was still an open question.

28. The expert from ITU pointed out that the FRAV and VMAD groups should explicitly specify to whom are addressed their recommendations on data transmission.

29. The expert from the European Commission clarified that various stakeholders would indeed be involved in reporting. She noted that this was already the case in aviation and that it was a good practice for safety management. She suggested that the mandate of VMAD was extended with this regard and recalled that the VMAD Subgroup 3 was liaising with the DSSAD group on this topic.

30. GRVA endorsed the work prepared by the Group reflected in GRVA-16-39 updating ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58, the New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving Guidelines for Validating ADS. GRVA requested the secretariat to submit GRVA 16-39 to WP.29 for consideration at the June 2023 session.

31. GRVA discussed the FRAV/VMAD integration work. It was clarified that one integration group would perform three tasks on definitions, structure and matrix during autumn 2023.

24. The expert from Japan, Co-Chair of the IWG on VMAD, presented GRVA-16-38 with a brief overview of deliverables until the WP.29 session in June 2024 and the two pillars of the work performed by the Group, one related to the four subgroups activities and the second related to the collaboration with the IWG on FRAV. He briefly introduced GRVA-16-39, containing updates to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2023/44, and therefore aimed to be tabled for consideration by WP.29 at its June 2023 session.

25. The expert from Sweden noted the late submission of GRVA-16-39 and inquired about the implication of the submission to WP.29. The Chair clarified that there would be no formal vote on that document at the June 2023 session of WP.29.

26. The expert from OICA pointed out that the ISMR provisions would require extensive reporting. She suggested to revisit this item to keep the of amount of data transmitted to a reasonable level and also to limit or avoid the overlap with the Data Storage Systems for Automated Driving (DSSAD) provisions. She added that vehicle manufacturers did not have access to all data listed in the current draft. She mentioned, as an illustrative example, that rather than the manufacturers, emergency responders had data on the number of victims and injured persons in case of road crashes.

27. The expert from Canada, Co-Chair of the Group, justified the potential big amount of data required by the fact that consumers expect certainty and that various jurisdictions also request data for their purposes. He noted that the identification of the entities that should receive the data was still an open question.

28. The expert from ITU pointed out that the FRAV and VMAD groups should explicitly specify to whom are addressed their recommendations on data transmission.

29. The expert from the European Commission clarified that various stakeholders would indeed be involved in reporting. She noted that this was already the case in aviation and that it was a good practice for safety management. She suggested that the mandate of VMAD was extended with this regard and recalled that the VMAD Subgroup 3 was liaising with the DSSAD group on this topic.

30. GRVA endorsed the work prepared by the Group reflected in GRVA-16-39 updating ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/58, the New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving Guidelines for Validating ADS. GRVA requested the secretariat to submit GRVA 16-39 to WP.29 for consideration at the June 2023 session.

31. GRVA discussed the FRAV/VMAD integration work. It was clarified that one integration group would perform three tasks on definitions, structure and matrix during autumn 2023.

22. The Chair of GRVA introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2023/44/Rev.1, an updated version of the “New Assessment/Test Method for Automated Driving (NATM) Guidelines for Validating Automated Driving System (ADS)”.

23. The representative of Australia asked about the follow up of these activities. The GRVA Chair replied that the current activities were part of a pre-regulatory phase, and that the current activity was focused on combining the deliverables of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Functional Requirements for Automated Vehicles (FRAV) and the IWG on Validation Methods for Automated Driving (VMAD). He stated that a schedule including next steps would be developed until the first half of 2024.

24. WP.29 adopted the document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2023/44/Rev.1.