World's first UN technical regulation for automated driving: China, EU, US, Japan and Canada agree on common rules
60% of new cars in China already come with advanced driver-assistance systems, and now a global standard exists. ADS GTR covers the entire life cycle — from development to operation. China contributed dozens of technical proposals and shared real-world test data.
As reported by CCTV+, a global UN technical regulation on automated driving systems was approved on Wednesday, supported by several major automotive markets including China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Thursday. The regulation, known as ADS GTR, was jointly developed by China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Japan, and was adopted at a meeting in Geneva following a vote by all contracting parties to the UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29).
The regulation establishes core technical requirements for automated driving system products and outlines manufacturer obligations in areas such as safety management processes, product safety documentation, end-to-end testing and validation frameworks, and post-deployment vehicle safety. It also prescribes corresponding audit and evaluation methods, creating a comprehensive regulatory architecture that spans the entire product lifecycle.
As the first global technical regulation specifically addressing automated driving systems, it provides a common foundation for the orderly and secure roll-out of autonomous driving technologies. This milestone is expected to accelerate industrialisation and drive the intelligent transformation of the global automotive sector.
In recent years, automated driving technologies have rapidly evolved and entered commercial use worldwide. Major economies have made the automotive industry a strategic priority for the future, introducing policies and accelerating regulatory development. In China, the penetration rate of new vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems has already exceeded 60 percent. Yet, until now, no unified set of technical standards or regulations existed at the international level, with major economies advancing their own approaches independently. This led to a consensus on developing globally harmonised rules for automated driving systems.
Looking ahead, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to deepen its engagement in international standard-setting for intelligent connected vehicles, accelerate the promulgation of the domestic mandatory standard, and promote greater alignment between international regulations and national norms.
ADS GTR is the world's first global technical regulation dedicated exclusively to automated driving systems. Its development began in 2018 within WP.29 working groups. China played a leading role, serving as co-chair of the working group and submitting dozens of technical proposals, including testing methodologies and human-machine interaction requirements. In parallel, China is finalising its own mandatory national standard, which fully aligns with ADS GTR while adapting it to local conditions, particularly for L3 and L4 systems.
Common rules for self-driving cars are not just a technical document. They are an acknowledgement that the future of the automobile does not depend on the country of manufacture. It depends on how we agree to prevent chaos on roads where algorithms will drive alongside people. China, the US, Europe, Japan — all sat at the same table not to argue, but to create a common language. A language of safety. And when, in a few years, your driverless car swerves around an obstacle or stops for a pedestrian, behind that decision will stand not only artificial intelligence, but also this very regulation, adopted in Geneva. Because technologies may differ, but the rules that protect life must be the same.
