95. The World Forum noted the report of the Secretary of the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety (WP.1) concerning the main decisions of the WP.1 Special Session in ESCAP Bangkok – 2-5 June 2025 (WP.29-196-21). WP.29 noted that WP.1 had considered the challenges posed by the evolving role of the driver in the context of Driver-Control Assistance System (DCAS) and ADS and would further elaborate on this matter taking into consideration Human Factor Sciences. Moreover, in view of the criticalities of the Asian and Pacific Region, WP.1 would address possible future measures for the safe deployment of automated vehicles in traffic through collaborative approach between the Inland Transport Committee of UNECE and the Committee of Transport of UNESCAP. Finally, WP.29 noted that the road safety initiative will be continued in a special WP.1 session in Delhi in January-February 2026 as a second chapter of the Global Road Safety Initiative.

96. The Representatives of the United States and Canada noted the omission of the reference to the 1949 Convention on the agenda and asked the Secretariat to represent all agreements without prejudice. Both contracting parties also urged more collaboration between WP.29 and WP.1 experts at the national level to foster better understanding of the technologies within WP.1. Particularly, on advanced technology WP.1 should be kept abreast on the technology development on ADAS and ADS that could need a responsive update of the 1949 and 1968 Conventions on Road Traffic. The representative of OICA supported the statement made by Canada and United States of America, he offered his help to provide these updates at the WP.1 sessions. At the same time, the representatives of Canada and the United States of America recommended that the secretariat should promote at the same level playing field all road safety conventions (i.e. 1949 and 1968 Conventions) without prejudice. The representative of Sweden expressed their support for the continued cooperation between WP.1 and WP.29 and a possible joint meeting in the future. Finally, the secretariat ensured that an agenda item on Cooperation with the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety would be maintained in the agenda of the subsidiary bodies of WP.29 to reiterate, amongst other, that delegations of the same country participating in both groups should coordinate their position consistently (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/106, para. 56).

97. The representative of the Kingdom of Thailand expressed his gratitude to all stakeholders for extending the GRVA and WP.1 activities beyond Geneva and for holding the Road Safety Week in Bangkok, Thailand. He emphasized Thailand’s commitment to supporting the continuation of similar road safety events in other regions, aiming to further advance global collaboration.