57. The representative of Japan, Co-Chair of the IWG on Cyber Security and Over the Air (CS/OTA) issues, presented a status report (GRVA-17-31), highlighting the recent achievements by the group regarding the interpretation document for UN Regulation No. 156, amendments to Annex 7 of R.E.3 and the post registration software update processes. He also mentioned the outcome of the workshops of Contracting Parties on the implementation of UN Regulations Nos. 155 and 156.

58. The representative of France supported the continuation of the workshops. He supported that the review efforts of Annex 7 be pursued. He noted that the processes for manufacturers not using software numbering according to the Regulation X Software Identification Number (RxSWIN) would need to be clarified. On the latter, the representative of Japan proposed to align the text of Annex 7 with the one in UN Regulation No. 156 for such a case.

59. GRVA agreed with the intervention from the representative of France, stating that the benefits of software updates could only be seized if proper reference to UN Regulation No. 156 is made in the relevant UN Regulations. GRVA agreed to promote the text of Annex 7 and references to UN Regulation No. 156 in other UN Regulations under the purview of the other WP.29 subsidiary bodies. GRVA agreed to review a list of regulations under GRVA where software updates provisions could be inserted and requested the secretariat to inform WP.29 that other GRs could do a similar review to get the benefits of UN Regulation No. 156.

60. GRVA agreed to prepare a document on this review for presentation to WP.29 in March 2024.