Call for papers for the 24th Langwieder Conference on Protection of Children in Cars, to be held June 2–4, 2027 in Munich, Germany. The conference will address key trends in child restraint system safety regulations, standards, research findings, and safety innovations. Topics include new mobility and future transport challenges, consumer information and rating systems, standards and rulemaking, field observations, accident research and biomechanics, test procedures and dummies, human body modeling, global CRS markets, and evaluation of safety features. Abstracts are due October 26, 2026. A newcomer program supports early career professionals with free conference attendance.

Agenda for the 31st session of the EVS IWG, 25–27 January 2026 in Seville, Spain. The session includes reports of UN activities, updates on ongoing research and rulemaking activities including transposition of GTR 20 to national regulation, and technical information from countries and industry on seven phase 3 items: expansion of electrical and battery safety protection scope, bottom protection, maintaining EV battery safety during in-use phase, micro-mobility and light-category vehicle safety, post-crash REESS safety assessment and stabilization procedures, safety of swappable batteries, and quantitative criteria on flammability, toxicity and corrosiveness of vented gases and smoke.

Proposal to amend references to the Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3) as document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8, insert definitions regarding Software Identification Numbers, require manufacturers to provide information on software versions and system parameters to the Technical Service for approval tests, allow vehicle manufacturers to apply for new approvals to differentiate software versions for registered and new vehicles while avoiding duplication of tests, clarify that production is not deemed discontinued when obtaining extensions for software updates, and insert additional information paragraphs in Annexes regarding software identification and updates across UN R11, UN R12, UN R14, UN R16, UN R17, UN R21, UN R94, UN R95, UN R100, UN R127, UN R134, UN R135, UN R137, UN R145, UN R153, UN R173, UN R174, and UN R184.

Proposal to amend para. 5.3.1. to clarify the direction of the force applied to verify that the door has not been opened during the test. The requirement is deemed fulfilled if the door does not open under a static tractive force of at least 400 N in the y-direction applied to the door, as close as possible to the window sill and to the edge of the door opposite to the hinged side, except to the door handle itself. This clarification applies to all different types of doors, including doors which open vertically or sliding doors.

Proposal to insert a new section 0 to clarify the direction of the force applied to verify that the door has not been opened during the test, and amend para. 5.4.2.1. to specify that the door does not open under a static tractive force of at least 400 N in the y-direction applied to the door as close as possible to the window sill and to the edge of the door opposite to the hinged side, except to the door handle itself.

Consolidated text of UN R11 with new provisions to address the opening of doors in an emergency (e.g., post crash) marked in bold text.

Meeting report from an intermediate online session of Task Force EDO on 18 September 2026. Discussions covered wording for the safety case in GTR 1 and UN R11, with agreement to use the sentence in square brackets. For power assisted door opening systems, if a suitable maximum opening force value cannot be found, wording similar to UN R107 will be used without specifying a limit value. OICA/CLEPA were asked to prepare transitional provisions including AT and NT dates for submission no later than 2 November. The Task Force ‘Unlock’ will hold a meeting in October. Additional matters included reviewing UN R11 justifications and confirming requirements apply to first row seats only.

Agenda for the 7th meeting of Task Force EDO (Emergency Door Opening), scheduled from 9 to 11 November 2026. The agenda includes adoption of the agenda and meeting minutes, preparation of working documents for the 80th session of GRSP, discussion of amendments to UN Regulation No. 11 and UN GTR No. 1 including results of the TF Unlocking, discussion of delivered proposals, and transitional provisions. The agenda also covers amendments to UN Regulation No. 21 with discussion of delivered proposals and transitional provisions, along with other open issues, any other business, and next meetings.

Comments on the proposal to amend para. 5.4.1.1., 5.4.1.2., and 5.4.2.1. to clarify requirements for double doors, amend para. 6.2.3.2. and Annex 4 para. 2.1.2. to correct references and clarify inertial load calculation direction, amend para. 6.3.1.1. to reference Regulation No. 116 and Regulation No. 97 for alarm systems, and insert new para. 13.1. and subsequent paragraphs establishing transitional provisions applicable from the official date of entry into force and 1 September [20XX] and [20YY].

Agenda for the 23rd session of the CLIV IWG scheduled for 26 November 2026, held online and hosted by Australia. The agenda includes opening remarks from the chair, introduction of new members, adoption of the agenda, GRBP interactions with bus UN Regulation, a status report from GRSP for December 2026, a proposed calendar for 2027, a face-to-face meeting scheduled for 2027 in China, reflections on 2026 work and targets for 2027, and any other business.

Comments on the proposal to amend para. 2.12. to define ‘Power-operated windows’, renumber para. 5.8.4.2. as para. 5.8.4.3., insert new para. 5.8.4.2. requiring that controls of power-operated side windows adjacent to the front seat row shall be within reach and directly accessible without multiple actions except for deactivation of a power window lock, insert new paras. 5.8.8., 5.8.8.1., 5.8.8.2., and 5.8.8.3. requiring at least one power-operated side window of the front seat row remain operable in the opening direction by means of its control or automatically open for at least 2 minutes under specified test conditions and that the window open to maximum extent permitted by its design and construction, and insert new Annex 11 specifying submergence test procedures including container-based tests, slope-entry tests, and alternative tests to verify functioning of power-operated windows after vehicle submergence.

Proposal to amend the full vehicle test (slope-entry) facility requirements by specifying an entry slope angle of 8 +/- 2.5 degrees to the horizontal and minimum length of 3 m, and to amend the test method by specifying that for vehicles equipped with an automatic window lowering system, the windows shall automatically be lowered within 2 minutes.

Proposal to insert para. 0.2. containing provisions on Emergency Door Opening, amend paras. 2.7.1., 2.7.2., and 2.9., insert new paras. 2.30. to 2.38. defining terms including 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. specifying exterior and interior door operation requirements, amend paras. 6.3.1., 6.3.1.1., 6.3.2., and 6.3.3. replacing references to vehicle ignition and door handles, insert new para. 6.4. establishing requirements for intuitive operation of latch release controls and door handles, with power-assisted systems maintaining unlatching and manual opening capability for at least 60 minutes through mechanical backup, secondary power supply, or fail-safe design, insert new para. 7.3. requiring testing in accordance with Annex 7, insert new para. 13.0. containing transitional provisions, delete former paras. 13.1. to 13.10., insert new para. 13.1. with new series-specific transitional provisions, and insert new Annex 7 specifying power loss test procedures for interior and exterior door opening.

Document presents proposed text for Emergency Door Opening requirements to be discussed by Canada and Korea at the next EDO meeting. Proposals address owner’s manual provisions requiring detailed information on door opening and confirmation that the door opening system is intuitive and door handles are readily identifiable; secondary power supply requirements for latch release controls with warnings of failure; intuitiveness of latch release controls and door handles; replacement of the term ‘close vicinity’ with objective boundary criteria within the perimeter of the door frame; and inadvertent operation provisions for side doors with front-mounted hinges requiring interior door handles to be inoperative at vehicle speeds of 4 km/h or greater and provision of door closure warning systems.

Proposal for an updated justification section.

OICA requests comments from GRSP experts on proposals for streamlining UN R100, following presentations at the 79th session. Working documents ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2026/25 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2026/26 were released on 14 October in English only. Comments should be submitted using the template in informal document GRSP-80-07-Add.1 to facilitate consolidation of feedback and identify discussion points toward the 80th session.

Document outlines preparation for establishing a Task Force on Swappable Battery under GRPE. Identifies sustainability aspects including on-board battery use as renewable energy buffer, battery cost and separate sale/lease models, vehicle lifespan exceeding battery life requiring service exchange, and battery replacement due to technology evolution. Lists issues for WP.29 framework covering vehicle approval with different battery pack numbers, separate battery approval, safety measures during swapping, attachment functionality, durability requirements, battery history tracing, cyber security, battery failure alerts, software updates, battery lifetime definition, and compatibility checking between battery and vehicle combinations. Proposes establishment of new Task Force under GRPE with collaboration among existing groups, two-step approach for identifying work items and drafting Terms of Reference, and timeline for five Task Force meetings from December 2026 to April 2027.

The workshop on frontal impact assessment in Tokyo, 4-6 November 2026, will address robustness, defined as the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants of varying body height, weight, shape, and seating position in real-world relevant collisions by maintaining structural integrity and effective safety systems so that the risk of injury is minimized for all types of people. The agenda includes review of relevant regulations, clarification of roles of ATDs and HBMs, and conceptual ideas for future regulatory upgrades addressing brain injury, soft tissue neck injury, lower leg injury, thorax injury, submarining, abdominal loading, and lower severity collisions. The workshop will develop an HBM-based robustness assessment matrix to complement current ATD-based requirements.

Workshop participants agreed on a concept of robustness as the vehicle’s ability to ensure effective protection for occupants across a representative range of characteristics including variations in body shape, sex, weight and age in relevant vehicle settings and in representative real-world collisions up to current regulatory severity levels. Current regulations can identify clearly inferior systems but do not encourage robustness as defined.

Presentation on human body models (HBMs) for virtual testing, addressing their advantages over anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in assessing occupant diversity, body regions, and injury criteria. Discusses challenges including harmonization of anthropometry and posture, biofidelity qualification variability, and injury assessment methodology. Proposes stepwise implementation with minimum harmonization requirements and development of HBM-specific injury risk curves for consistent application across different anthropometries.

Presentation on the complementary roles of Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) and Human Body Models (HBMs) in frontal impact assessment. ATDs provide standardized physical evidence at defined reference conditions based on fixed anthropometries, while HBMs can represent population variability through morphable anthropometry. HBMs extend assessment to human and crash variability that standardized ATD tests cannot practically cover, including occupant size variants, seat positions, postures, and crash severities. Neither tool is a universal substitute for the other; complementary capabilities improve robustness and confidence in real-world occupant protection performance.