Elemance, founded in 2014, distributes, maintains, and supports the GHBMC family of human body models for crash simulations. The Global Human Body Models Consortium consolidates worldwide HBM research and development into a single global effort to develop and maintain high-fidelity finite-element human body models. Elemance provides four occupant sizes in simplified and detailed versions, extensively validated through 250+ peer-reviewed publications and 100+ validation simulations. The models are widely adopted across 133 academic licenses and 41 commercial licenses, and have achieved Euro NCAP certification for occupant and pedestrian models.

Whiplash remains a major concern following rear-end collisions, which account for 27.8% of passenger vehicle crashes. Females face greater risk of long-term cervical spine injury than males. Females have less muscle strength, more slender necks, and lower tolerance limits for lower neck shear force compared to males. Only one rear impact dummy size, the 50th percentile male, is currently available. Dynamic testing reveals differences in responses between 50th percentile female and male dummies. Whiplash mitigation requires reducing occupant acceleration, minimising relative movements between vertebrae, and minimising forward rebound. The seat must be considered as a system; focusing on one component alone is inadequate. Preparation for a future 50th percentile female rear impact dummy is recommended, with new injury thresholds established.

Work-in-progress draft regulation to address the safety of children left in light vehicles, with changes to amend definitions of ‘Child’ or ‘Children’ to refer to individuals generally considered to be between 0 and 6 years old, replace “frequency” with “repetition rate” in warning requirements, and clarify system deactivation, warning delay, and internal visible warning procedures. The proposed regulation would cover vehicles of categories M₁ and N₁ with mass not exceeding 3,500 kg equipped with indirect sensing or direct sensing systems to detect children left unattended in vehicles.

Proposal for a new UN Regulation on crashworthiness of vehicles of category N₁Y with regard to protection of fuel system integrity, protection against electrical shock, and vehicle crash compatibility in the event of frontal, rear-end, and lateral collision. The proposal would establish frontal impact requirements based on UN R94 or UN R137 at manufacturer’s choice in agreement with the designated technical service, lateral impact requirements based on UN R95 without side pole impact test, and rear impact requirements based on UN R153 without modification. Vehicles with maximum design speed not exceeding the applicable impact speed shall be tested at their maximum design speed and comply with post-impact requirements. Fuel system integrity, electrical shock protection from rechargeable energy storage systems, and crash compatibility requirements apply. Crash Compatibility Criterion shall not exceed 40 g and Crash Compatibility Value shall not exceed 100 g×tonne, determined according to Annex 3. Vehicles of category N₁Y derived from category X vehicles complying with UN R94 (05 series amendments supplement 2), UN R95 (06 series amendments supplement 2), UN R137 (04 series amendments supplement 1), and UN R153 (01 series amendments supplement 1) are deemed to meet all requirements.

The agenda includes Y-category regulatory framework new for N₁, Y-category pedestrian protection UN R127, UN R42 from informal document GRSP-79-11, UN R134 Y-category exclusion, any other business, and dates for next meetings on 5 October, November week 47, 24 November or 1 December, and 7-11 December at GRSP-80.

The EqOP Task Force 2 met online on 29-30 June 2026 to discuss whiplash protection in vehicle seats. Presentations covered whiplash injury mechanisms, UN R17 evaluation, C-NCAP 2027 virtual testing plans, EvaRID and BioRID dummy comparisons, IIHS Rear Impact 2.0 protocol development, parametric seat modelling, and validation of a female SET 50F FE model. Discussions concluded that regulations should avoid sub-optimization toward single criteria, dynamic testing better represents real-world conditions, head-restraint positioning should not be considered misuse, and more forgiving seat designs are needed. The next meeting is scheduled for 28 September 2026.

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 2nd Workshop of the Task Force on Virtual Crash Testing is scheduled for September 7, 2026, from 10:00–16:00 CET in Room W 401, Professor-Huber-Platz 02. The agenda includes welcome and workshop objectives, approval of the agenda, context setting on EqOP and the role of TF3, review of ATD limitations and HBM potential, discussion of HBM readiness for EqOP applications, connecting EqOP priorities with ATD limitations and HBM readiness, HBM landscape assessment, and summary of conclusions and next steps.

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.

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.

Analysis examined 14 cases in Japan where child fatalities occurred after children were left unattended in passenger vehicles of category M₁ and N₁ between January 1984 and April 2025. Indirect sensing could potentially have generated an alert in 13 cases, while direct sensing could potentially have generated an alert in 5 cases. Based on these findings, retaining indirect sensing as an option for UNR is proposed.

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.

Proposal to insert a new paragraph after para. 6.6.4.3.1. addressing dummy contact with rigid parts of the test bench in the rebound phase and specifying that the 100 mm diameter bar shall not be considered a rigid part in that phase, and delete subparagraph (d) from the first and last groups of subparagraphs in para. 6.6.4.4.1.1.

Proposal to insert a new Introduction section containing provisions for vehicles of categories X and Y, amend the Scope to include vehicles of categories X and Y with specific exemptions based on the “R” point or front structural geometry, amend definitions of “Bonnet rear reference line,” “Front structure,” “Normal ride attitude,” “Side reference line,” “Windscreen test area,” and “Cowl monitoring area” to address vehicles of categories X and Y, and amend paragraph 5.3.1.2. regarding Automated Riding Height Suspension System engagement conditions. Changes compared to document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/53 are indicated by red markup.

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.

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.

Proposal to insert a new introduction section clarifying the assessment procedure for door opening and permitting use of external vehicle lifts to return vehicles to their wheels following side impact testing for workshop health and safety compliance, and insert a new paragraph 5.3.3.1.1. specifying that when necessary the vehicle shall be put back on its wheels and paragraphs 5.3.3. and 5.3.3.1. shall apply.

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.

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.

Request to develop amendments to GTR 1 and GTR 14 to include general requirements and test procedures for door opening systems and for requirements for post-crash extrication. The Task Force on Emergency Door Opening proposes to submit a working document for GTR No. 1 at GRSP’s 80th session in December 2026, with an amendment to be established at AC.3’s 79th session in June 2027. A working document for GTR No. 14 is intended for GRSP’s 82nd session in December 2027, with an amendment at AC.3’s 82nd session in June 2028. The document also requests establishment of an Informal Working Group on Emergency Door Opening.

Final status report on Amendment 1 to UN GTR No. 20, adopted by GRSP at its seventy-ninth session. The amendment addresses thermal propagation in rechargeable electrical energy storage systems through two compliance paths: a physical test approach with 5 initiation methods, and a risk management approach documenting thermal propagation risks and risk mitigation at cell, REESS, or vehicle level. Phase 2 scope included water immersion, fire resistance, REESS rotation and vibration, vented gas characterization, thermal propagation methods, post-crash safety assessment, light electric vehicles, charging protection, and overcurrent requirements. Unregulated areas for Phase 3 include V2X applications, swappable batteries, micromobility, and quantitative criteria on gas and smoke properties.