The 20th ADS informal working group session and 17th GRVA Workshop on Automated Driving Systems will meet during 27 April-1 May 2026. The session will address proposals to amend the draft Guidance and Interpretation Document covering definitions, performance of the DDT, scope, application for approval, general requirements, interactions between the ADS and its user(s), safety management systems, post-deployment safety, test environments, and certificate of compliance. Additional agenda items include further development of the GTR and UNR and consideration of next steps and future meetings.

This document consolidates inputs from Officers of Principal Interest (OPI) on the Automated Driving Systems (ADS) Guidance and Interpretation Document and organizes content into regulatory text, guidance, comments, and examples to facilitate April-May 2026 Workshop discussions. The document provides interpretation of UN Global Technical Regulation and UN Regulation requirements on ADS, addressing safety performance of the Dynamic Driving Task in nominal, critical, and failure situations; interactions between ADS and users; post-deployment safety monitoring through Safety Performance Indicators; Safety Management System audit criteria; and simulation credibility frameworks for verification and validation, while emphasizing that guidance does not introduce new requirements and that the Regulations remain the sole authoritative texts under 1958 and 1998 Agreements.

Proposal to amend ADS-20-12 (consolidated guidance document). The ADS shall have strategies to detect and respond to instructions from road safety agents. For ADSF-1, this allows transfer of control to the fallback user. Manufacturers may use non-ADS strategies including remote intervention or permitting the road safety agent to drive. Examples of instructions include pull over, give way, stop after collision, move out of way, avoid specific road, and not overtake. Instructions may be issued via lights, sirens, audio messages, written signs, or light bar messages.

Proposal to amend ADS-20-12 (consolidated guidance document). The terms faults, malfunctions, and abnormalities lack distinct meanings in requirement 6.1.4.2. The revised explanation clarifies that “faults, malfunctions, and abnormalities” do not have specific distinct meanings and cover any failure in the ADS’ capability to perform the DDT within the ODD. The three kinds of issues encompassed are warning signals from other systems, faults without warning signals a driver would perceive, and faults within the ADS itself.

The 19th Automated Driving Systems session in Shanghai (February 2026) involved approximately 90 participants from multiple countries and organizations. Key outcomes included adoption of amendments to UNR and GTR on ADS, addressing EDR/DSSAD definitions and recording intervals, and reviewing Guidance and Interpretation Document sections covering introduction, DDT performance, audit, user interaction, approval, FADS, safety case, testing, and ISMR. Outstanding items for resolution include remote assistance prioritization and future work program definition. Amendments will be submitted to WP.29 in June 2026. Future meetings scheduled for April-May in Bangkok and July in Brussels.

Updated from earlier version for administrative reasons.