49. The expert from Australia, as Chair of the IWG regarding the safety of Children Left in Vehicles (CLIV), gave a presentation on its work (informal document GRSP-76-37), including a status update and recommendations for the next steps. He proposed that the IWG develop first a new UN GTR and then transpose it into a new UN Regulation. He informed GRSP that the IWG would prioritize developing the provisions for buses, and then would develop provisions for passenger cars. Some experts expressed concern that the work on passenger cars might be delayed by this strategy, but the experts from Canda and Australia assured that the work on passenger cars would continue in parallel to the work on buses.

50. Several experts discussed how the issue of children left in vehicles differed for buses and passenger cars.

51. The expert from OICA highlighted the importance of a technologically neutral solution, as already stated in the IWG report, and of worldwide harmonization. He also requested that the Working Party on General Safety Provisions (GRSG) was briefed on the progress of the work.

52. The expert from CI suggested that it might be beneficial to host one of the upcoming meetings of the IWG in Europe.

53. GRSP adopted the status report (informal document GRSP-76-35), an extension of the IWG mandate until May 2027 to work on Phase 2 (see also paragraph 64 in section XXVII.G), new terms of reference for Phase 2 (informal document GRSP-76-44-Rev.1) as reproduced in annex X to the session report and a request for an authorization to develop a new UN GTR in the area of CLIV for category 1 vehicles (informal document GRSP-76-36). It requested the secretariat to submit the status report and the request for authorization as working documents to the June session of WP.29 and the Executive Committee of the 1998 Agreement (AC.3) for consideration and vote.

134. AC.3 recalled that ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2025/80 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2025/81 had been presented during its previous session and had been received positively, but that it had decided to postpone a vote on the request for authorisation to develop a UN GTR to this meeting.

135. The representative of Australia further indicated that IWG-CLIV had moved to phase 2 of its work and informed AC.3 of its recent meetings. She announced that the IWG expected to submit a proposal to GRSP for consideration in its December 2026 session. The representative of the United States of America underscored the importance that the solution be evidence-based and considered that the group was not yet ready to move into drafting regulatory text. Conversely, the representative of Italy recommended AC.3 not to delay the work on this subject and argued that a solution should be adopted as soon as possible. AC.3 noted that although the request for authorisation mentioned both UN Regulation and UN GTR, the Committee’s competence is limited to the development of UN GTRs only. AC.3 also noted that the relevant drawings and technical specifications of a proposed human surrogate as test tool shall be copyright-free and be included in Mutual Resolution No. 1 to apply the future UN GTR by Contracting Parties without restrictions. The representative of OICA recalled the importance that requirements be technology-neutral and performance-based.

136. AC.3 decided to further postpone its decision on the request for authorisation to develop a new UN GTR in the area of Children Left in Vehicles for category 1 vehicles.