Proposal to:

• Add microsleep detection capability to DDAW systems,
• Require DDAW or equivalent monitoring when partial automation is active,
• Define broader driving conditions for effective operation including unmarked roads and direct lighting,
• Establish DDAW functionality under driver occlusions such as sunglasses,
• Set requirements for drowsiness warnings and acknowledgement by drivers,
• Enhance test methodology including continuation after first warning and demographic diversity,
• Establish mandatory drowsiness warning threshold at KSS level 8 with optional soft warnings at KSS levels 6–7,
• Introduce time-based penalties for delayed detection of drowsiness,
• Include specificity and positive predictive value as performance metrics.

Proposal to add Observer Rating of Drowsiness (ORD) as a primary drowsiness assessment method alongside the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) for the Driver Drowsiness Alarm Warning (DDAW) system. The proposal modifies warning thresholds to reference ORD level [D4], updates validation testing requirements in Annex 4 to include ORD assessment procedures with specified assessor training and concordance rate standards, and establishes measurement intervals of 5 minutes or less. Japan is conducting a driving simulator study to validate appropriate ORD warning thresholds for submission after the October 2026 session.

Proposal to insert a definition of Observer Rating of Drowsiness (ORD) as a methodology for assessing driver drowsiness, amend paragraphs 5.5.2. and 5.5.2.1. to establish drowsiness warning thresholds using both the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and ORD, amend Annex 4 to include ORD validation requirements including assessor training with minimum concordance rate of 0.70, rating procedures with at least 2 assessors, measurement intervals of 5 minutes or less, video quality standards, and calculation of final ratings as averages of assessors’ ratings, amend paragraph 6.3.1. to permit alternative measurement methods including sleep video analysis by at least 3 sleep experts, amend paragraph 6.3.2. to require evidence of validity and equivalence to KSS levels, delete former paragraph 6.3.2.1., amend paragraph 6.4.1. to permit complementary measurements, and amend paragraphs 7, 7.1., 7.2., and 8.1. to establish equivalence requirements between alternative measurements and KSS or ORD thresholds.

The agenda includes:

• DDAW system warnings and driver acknowledgement,
• microsleep detection requirements,
• system effectiveness under varied driving conditions and when DCAS is active,
• system functionality where driver occlusions occur,
• drowsiness thresholds for warnings,
• criteria for classifying false negatives,
• test methods,
• specificity and positive predictive value as performance metrics,
• observer-rated drowsiness,
• timing of future meetings.

A study of 24 professional truck drivers investigated how drowsiness develops during real-road driving to test a DDAW system. At night, 17 of 24 drivers reached a KSS level of 8, with average time to reach KSS 8 being 56 minutes. Ten drivers chose to stop or were requested to stop in the sleep-deprived condition. A DDAW recording window of 600 s would fail to capture information relevant to the EDR, whereas time windows of up to one hour could provide important indications of increased driver fatigue.

Proposal to amend UN R18, UN R39, UN R46, UN R55, UN R58, UN R67, UN R73, UN R93, UN R97, UN R102, UN R105, UN R107, UN R110, UN R116, UN R121, UN R122, UN R125, UN R144, UN R147, UN R151, UN R158, UN R159, UN R160, UN R161, UN R162, UN R163, UN R166, UN R169, UN R176, UN R181, UN R182 and UN R183:

• Add new paragraphs defining Software Identification Number by reference to Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3) Annex 7, para. 2,
• amend paragraphs concerning production discontinuation to clarify that production is not considered definitively discontinued if vehicle manufacturers intend to obtain subsequent extensions of approval for software updates of vehicles already registered in the market,
• add new paragraphs requiring manufacturers to provide Technical Services with information on all hardware and software having an influence on performance,
• add new paragraphs allowing vehicle manufacturers to apply for new vehicle approvals to differentiate software versions for vehicles already registered in the market from those for new vehicles,
• add new paragraphs to approval forms requesting additional information regarding software identification and software updates, including whether Software Identification Number is held on the vehicle and relevant parameters for identification of vehicles that can be updated with the represented software.

Proposal to extend the mandate of the DDADWS informal group until October 2028 to enable development of new (01) series of amendments to the original texts of the driver drowsiness and driver distraction warning systems regulations.

The initial regulations for Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning and Advanced Driver Distraction Warning systems were adopted at GRSG-130 and WP.29-198. DDADWS is developing 01 series regulations, with workshops and online meetings planned. The group seeks a mandate extension to October 2028 to complete 01 series development, with proposed submission for approval to GRSG-136.

Proposal to amend Annex 4 – Data elements and format, Table 1, modifying Advanced driver distraction warning (ADDW) data elements to record status and time since warning issued instead of number of warnings and time elapsed since last warning, modifying Driver control assistance system (DCAS) driver monitoring system data elements to record time since disengagement warning issued and warning type instead of number of hands-on requests, eyes-on requests, direct control alerts, and time elapsed since last warning, and adding Driver drowsiness and attention warning (DDAW) status and time since warning issued data elements while removing number of warnings and time elapsed since last warning, with ADDW and DDAW elements listed up to five times for most recent warnings and DCAS warning type listed up to fifteen times for most recent warnings on current trip.