Proposal as amended during the 4th EDO SIG session.

Proposal to require the electric side windows of the front seat row to function for at least ² minutes from the time of a vehicle entering water (EDO-03-08) as amended by the EDO SIG during its 4th session.

This document presents generic images of various door handle designs, including door handles in door pockets, button type door handles, electric push buttons, electric touch type door handles, and flush buttons.

The Informal Working Group on Emergency Door Opening (IWG-EDO) will develop amendments to UN Regulations Nos. 11 and 21 and request authorization to amend UN GTR No. 1 and UN GTR No. 14, with a draft for submission to GRSP’s 80th session. In a second step, it will develop amendments for further post-crash extrication requirements for UN Regulations Nos. 94, 95, 135 and 137 and UN GTR No. 1 and 14, with a draft for submission to GRSP’s 82nd session. The group will be chaired by Germany with the Republic of Korea as Vice-Chair and OICA providing the Secretariat.

Homework item #15 on definition of emergency events was reviewed. The Task Force differentiated between life events and emergency events, with only the latter within scope. Discussion addressed whether UN R100’s event definition might be too restrictive and whether auto door lock functions and triggers require further definition. Para. 6.4.3 wording to enter or depart the vehicle even after a power loss was noted as addressing concerns. The trigger in UN R100 should be used; other triggers may be considered based on proposals. A proposal concerning UN R100 will be uploaded to the Wiki. Amendments to GTR 1 are expected for submission to GRSP in December, with the Republic of Korea, United States of America, and Canada to provide a first draft for the September meeting. Authorization request and Terms of Reference will be submitted to WP.29 at its November session. Participants are requested to provide comments on informal documents and suggested solutions for identified issues.

The purpose of this test is to verify that door-opening systems remain fully functional following an emergency event leading to a loss of the vehicle’s power supply. After power loss, all doors providing direct occupant entry or exit must demonstrate they can be unlocked, unlatched, and opened from the interior by an occupant seated next to the door regardless of ignition status or initial latch position, and when unlocked, can be unlatched and opened from the exterior by a person standing next to the vehicle. The interior test requires disconnecting the main power supply, waiting 60 minutes, then operating interior means to unlock and unlatch the door and open it using the interior door handle within 10 minutes, repeated up to five cycles. The exterior test requires disconnecting the main power supply, waiting 60 minutes, then operating the exterior latch release control and exterior door handle within 10 minutes, repeated up to five cycles.

The operation of latch-release controls and door handles shall be considered intuitive where vehicle occupants are able to identify and operate the means of door opening or latch release immediately and without the need for prior instruction or prior experience with the specific system, by having a distinctive shape, colour or marking, not covered or hidden. This requirement is intended to ensure that occupants are able to open a door or release a latch quickly and reliably, regardless of their familiarity with the vehicle.

During vehicle submergence, at least 1 window per row of seats shall be able to be opened to allow occupant escape, and shall remain openable for at least 2 minutes from water entry. The vehicle shall be lowered into a water-filled container within a 10-degree horizontal angle in X longitudinal and lateral directions. T0 is counted from when lowering straps slacken and the vehicle floats. After 2 minutes of floating, the window must be opened to its lowest position, or automatically lowered if equipped with automatic window lowering system. Alternative sub-system tests demonstrating window opening functionality under water, in agreement with the approval authority and its designated technical service, are acceptable. The test is fulfilled if the window is open to its lowest position after the test.

A design is intuitive when users understand and use it correctly and efficiently without needing instructions or prior training. Key signs include matching user expectations, requiring little explanation, giving clear feedback, minimizing thinking, maintaining consistency, and building on familiar patterns. For emergency door opening, intuitive design requires interior release control to unlock doors and unlatch without separate controls. Alternative actions for power loss must be fully intuitive, integrated or in close vicinity, within reach, and properly marked. Exterior door handles need a proper force application area for at least four fingers of an adult hand.

Comments address proposals EDO-05-03e and EDO-05-04e. On intuitiveness, the definition was agreed upon but concerns remain regarding ambiguity under self-certification system. Specific examples may be included such as door handle with gripping space, and mark/label/symbol on latch control. On power loss test, overall test procedures were agreed upon. Clarifications needed include normal riding position in 2.2.3., and whether interior test testers proceed with opening procedure after 60 minutes for all doors with 4 times repetition per door within 60 minutes proposed.

Unlock refers to transition of a doorlatch system into a state in which operation of the latch-release control is no longer inhibited, allowing the latch to disengage from the striker. Unlatching refers to transition into a state in which the latch and striker are no longer capable of withstanding separation forces, thereby allowing the door to move away from the vehicle body structure. Opening refers to the action by which a door is moved from its closed position to an open position through mechanical force or energizing an actuated device. Child Safety Lock System is a locking device which, when engaged, prevents operation of the interior door handle or other release device.

Proposal to renumber paragraph 5.8.4.2. as paragraph 5.8.4.3., insert new paragraph 5.8.4.2. requiring controls of electric side windows adjacent to the front seat row be within reach and directly accessible without multiple actions, and insert new paragraphs 5.8.8., 5.8.8.1., 5.8.8.1.1., 5.8.8.2., and 5.8.8.3. requiring electric side windows of the front seat row to still function when command is operated for at least 2 minutes in a replication of a vehicle entering water (demonstrated in accordance with a new annex). The amendment introduces provisions for ease of operation of electric side windows and guarantees front side windows operate after submergence. Laminated side windows and difficulty breaking window glass in panic situations make life hammers inappropriate alternatives to functioning windows. Research shows leaving the vehicle within one minute of water contact is important; the 2-minute requirement allows healthy margin. Paragraph 5.8.4.2. guarantees window controls operate in single action rather than requiring submenu selection.

Proposal to modify door latch and door retention component requirements to include door closure warning systems and additional locking provisions, add power loss provisions for latch release controls and door handles, insert definition of retractable door handle, and incorporate test procedures for sliding side doors, with transition period allowing approvals under preceding series until 1 September 2016, after which Contracting Parties shall grant approvals only in accordance with amended requirements, based on WP.29/2014/71.

Clarifications to definitions: “Child-Safety Lock System” to clarify that it prevents unlatching when engaged, regardless of unlock state; amending “Unlock” to specify that child safety lock systems remain effective; amending “Unlatch” to define it as the transition where latch and striker no longer withstand separation forces; adding definitions for “Door Opening”, “Latch release control”, “Door handle”, and “Retractable door handle”.

The 5th Emergency Door Opening Task Force meeting was held 21–23 April 2026 in Seoul. The meeting minutes of the 4th EDO meeting were adopted without amendment. A report concerning the TF EDO work programme was delivered to WP.29 AC.2 and AC.3 during the 198th session of WP.29, with informal endorsement to transform the Task Force into an Informal Working Group. Discussions addressed amendments to UN Regulation No. 11 and No. 21, including test procedures for power loss, interior and exterior door opening, intuitiveness, and backup systems. Documents EDO-05-03, EDO-05-04, EDO-05-05, EDO-05-07, EDO-05-08, EDO-05-09, and EDO-05-12 were reviewed. Multiple homework items were assigned for completion before the 6th EDO meeting scheduled for 1–3 September 2026 in Paris.

The agenda includes adoption of meeting minutes from the 5th EDO Meeting and two intermediate sessions, documents for WP.29’s 200th session requesting authorization to amend UN GTR No. 1 and 14, transformation to IWG with Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure, amendments to UN Regulation No. 11 and No. 21, discussion of open items, and preparation of working documents for GRSP’s 80th session.

This document addresses terminology inconsistencies in UN R11 regarding emergency door opening. It proposes consistent use of entry or exit and occupant(s) versus passenger(s) in amendments without editorial changes to existing parts. Step-by-step checks of all parts of UN R11 are proposed for locking device terminology and latch release control terminology, with definitions for latch release control and door handle already available. For power supply terminology, a definition is needed, while power loss terminology should be retained.

Proposal to insert new paragraphs in Section I defining the background, scope, and technical rationale for emergency door opening provisions addressing power loss scenarios, insert new paragraphs 3.25. to 3.31. in Section II defining terms including “latch release control”, “door handle”, “retractable door handle”, “unlock”, “unlatch”, and “power loss”, insert new para. 4.3. establishing requirements for exterior and interior door operation with intuitively accessible latch release controls and door handles on doors providing direct occupant access, insert new para. 5.4. specifying that latch release controls and door handles shall be intuitive, that power-assisted latch release controls shall remain capable of unlatching doors after power loss for at least 60 minutes through secondary mechanical means, active secondary power supply, or fail-safe systems, that power-assisted latch release and unlocking controls shall similarly remain functional after 60 minutes of power loss, that power-assisted door opening systems shall remain manually openable after power loss, that door handles including retractable door handles shall provide accessible gripping features to unlatched doors after power loss, and that unlocking means and latch release controls shall be unobstructed, directly visible, and not located in storage devices or obstructed by interior components, and insert new Annex 6 specifying test procedures for interior and exterior door operation after power loss, including vehicle preparation steps, 60-minute waiting periods, and opening procedures to be completed within 10 minutes with up to five cycles per door.

Proposal to amend UN R11 to modify scope and definitions regarding vehicles of categories M₁ and N₁, introduce provisions for Automated Driving Systems, revise door operation requirements including exterior and interior latch release controls and door handles, add performance requirements for power-assisted systems and intuitive operation, amend provisions on door locks for side rear doors and back doors, include new definitions for latch release control, door handle, retractable door handle, unlock, unlatch, door opening, and power loss, add transitional provisions for the 05 series of amendments, and introduce new test procedures in Annex 7 for power loss events with interior and exterior door opening procedures requiring demonstration of door functionality within 60 minutes of power disconnection and at least five opening cycles. The amendments apply to supplement 3 of the 04 series for vehicles of category X and the 05 series of amendments to UN R11, based on justifications in GRSP-79-19 and GRSP-78-48.

The document addresses open issues and comments regarding UN R11 and GTR No. 1 concerning emergency door opening. It proposes defining vehicle master control switch as the device bringing onboard electronics from off to normal operation mode, and suggests activating this switch rather than switching ignition on in test procedures. The document defines main power supply as power source(s) and supply path(s) normally used for door system operation, excluding secondary or back-up supply. It raises concerns about secondary or back-up power supply failure occurring in the field before emergencies despite compliant test results. The document discusses objective intuitiveness criteria including visibility, accessibility, discoverability, identification, and operability. It recommends standardized marking for exterior door handles and proposes that door opening and closing procedures be described in vehicle owners’ manuals.

Proposal to amend para. 1.1. to clarify that the Regulation applies to vehicles of categories M₁ and N₁ with respect to latches, door retention components, latch release controls, and door handles to prevent the risk of occupants being thrown from a vehicle and to ensure evacuation at emergency events, insert new paras. 2.30. to 2.36. defining latch release control, door handle, retractable door handle, unlock, unlatch, door opening, and power loss, insert new para. 5.4. establishing exterior and interior door operation requirements, insert new para. 6.4. establishing requirements for latch release controls and door handles to be intuitive and to remain capable of operating after power loss for at least 60 minutes, and insert new Annex 7 establishing a power loss test procedure to verify door opening systems remain functional following an emergency event leading to loss of the vehicle’s ordinary power supply.

This document presents draft provisions for UN Regulation No. 11 concerning door latches and door retention components. Inspired by justifications in GRSP-79-19 and GRSP-78-48, amendments address vehicles equipped with Automated Driving System features (ADSF-1 and ADSF-2), extending requirements to vehicles of category X while excluding category Y. Key EDO additions include definitions for latch release controls, door handles, power loss, and unlock/unlatch operations. New performance requirements mandate intuitive latch release controls and door handles; power-assisted exterior and interior controls must remain functional for at least 60 minutes after power loss through secondary mechanical means, active secondary power supplies, or fail-safe principles. Annex 7 introduces a power loss test procedure verifying door operability following emergency events, with interior and exterior opening procedures conducted within 10 minutes after 60-minute power disconnection periods.

Proposal to establish a submergence test procedure requiring that at least one window per row of seats be capable of being fully opened after a vehicle enters water for occupant escape, with the window operable up to 2 minutes after submergence as designed by the manufacturer, defining container dimensions to accommodate the vehicle without wall or floor contact during the 2-minute period except when fully submerged, permitting open-water test sites provided they comply with test conditions while prohibiting freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and saltwater bodies, requiring the master control switch position allow window operation, specifying unladen kerb mass with measuring apparatus not changing axle reference load by more than 5 per cent, lowering the vehicle into water-filled container at horizontal angle 0–10 degrees with time zero defined as when lowering straps become slack and vehicle floats freely, requiring the vehicle remain in water for 2 minutes from time zero without floor contact until fully submerged, requiring window operation by remote system after 2 minutes with vehicle immersed, and permitting alternative subsystem tests demonstrating window opening functionality under submerged conditions.

Proposals developed during the EDO session to:

• Amend para. 1.1. to include application to evacuation of occupants in emergency events,
• amend definitions of child safety lock system, full locking system, and door closure warning system,
• insert new definitions of latch release control, door handle, retractable door handle, unlock, unlatch, power loss, vehicle master control switch, main power supply, and door opening,
• insert new para. 5.4. establishing requirements for exterior and interior door operation including latch release controls and door handles,
• amend para. 6.3.1. to reference exterior latch release control and insert para. 6.3.1.1. requiring full locking systems to activate only when vehicle master control switch is deactivated with specified measures,
• amend para. 6.3.2. for side rear doors,
• insert new para. 6.4. establishing requirements for intuitive operation of latch release controls and door handles, power-assisted systems capability after 60-minute power loss, and unobstructed positioning,
• insert new para. 7.3. requiring testing in accordance with Annex 7,
• insert new Annex 7 establishing power loss test procedures for interior and exterior door opening after main power supply disconnection.

Discussions to amend GTR 1 to require doors providing direct access for occupants to be equipped with an intuitively accessible exterior latch release control or alternatively in close vicinity to the door. The document notes that “intuitive,” “discoverable,” and “in close vicinity” are subjective terms difficult to assess objectively. It suggests defining these terms through objective criteria such as untrained first-time user performance testing within a specified timeframe, standardized ISO symbols, defined proximity zones relative to the door, and requirements balancing accessibility against inadvertent operation risks.

Working draft proposal to:

• Amend paragraph 1.1. to include application to evacuation of occupants in emergency event
• Amend the definition of child safety lock system in paragraph 2.7.1. to specify prevention of unlatching when interior latch release control is activated and describe normal locked/unlocked logic when inactive,
• Amend the definition of full locking system in paragraph 2.7.2. to refer to interior latch release control,
• Amend the definition of door closure warning system in paragraph 2.9. to replace ignition with master control switch,
• Insert new paragraphs 2.30. to 2.38. defining latch release control, door handle, retractable door handle, unlock, unlatch, power loss, vehicle master control switch, main power supply, and door opening,
• Insert new paragraph 5.4. establishing requirements for exterior and interior door operation including latch release controls, door handles, and unlocking means,
• Amend paragraphs 6.3.1. to 6.3.2. to address exterior and interior locking devices and full locking systems with reference to master control switch deactivation and alarm or acoustic warning provisions,
• Insert new paragraph 6.4. prescribing intuitive operation of latch release controls and door handles, requirements for power-assisted systems to function after power loss for 60 minutes, and door handle design for opening after power loss,
• Insert new paragraph 7.3. requiring testing of power-assisted latch release controls and door opening systems in accordance with Annex 7,
• Insert new Annex 7 establishing a power loss test procedure to verify door opening functionality from interior and exterior following main power supply disconnection, with 60-minute wait before testing and door opening completion required within 80 minutes after power disconnection based on GRSP-78-20/Rev.1 and GRSP-78-48.

Proposal to renumber paragraph 5.8.4.2. as paragraph 5.8.4.3., insert new paragraph 5.8.4.2. requiring controls of electric side windows adjacent to the front seat row to be within reach and directly accessible, insert new paragraphs 5.8.8. and 5.8.8.1. to 5.8.8.2. requiring electric side windows of the front seat row to function for at least 2 minutes during vehicle submergence, and insert new Annex 11 prescribing submergence test procedures including container-based test, slope-entry test, and alternative test methods to demonstrate window opening capability under water.

The agenda includes a wrap up of EDO discussion during the 79th session of GRSP, authorization to amend GTR 1 and 14, transformation of the task force into an IWG, submission of working documents on amendments to UN R11 including Korea proposal about intuitiveness images and German proposal about amendments to UN R100, any other homework of 5th EDO meeting, amendments to UN R21, reflection on comments during 79th session of GRSP, remaining homework for 6th EDO meeting in Paris, and next meetings.

Task Force EDO held an intermediate online Teams meeting on 18 June 2026. The agenda was adopted without amendments. Two informal documents had been submitted to the seventy-ninth session of GRSP. Authorization to amend GTR Nos. 1 and 14 would be submitted to November session of WP.29. Amendments to UN Regulation No. 11, UN Regulation No. 21 and GTR No. 1 would remain part of Phase 1, for consideration at December session of GRSP. The Task Force reviewed proposals concerning UN Regulation No. 100 and intuitiveness, concluding further discussion was necessary. Authorization request to amend GTRs would be submitted to November session of WP.29 by Germany and Republic of Korea. Next meeting: 1-3 September in Paris.

Agenda for an intermediate online meeting of the Task Force on Emergency Door Opening held on 18 September 2026. The meeting addresses discussion and agreement on wording for the safety case of power supply to door systems in Annex 7, section 2.2.4 and GTR 1 Annex 6, section 2.2.4; discussion on power assisted door opening systems and the maximum opening force value; transitional provisions with a placeholder in working documents; and a quick check on Task Force Unlock meeting date.