Automated Mobility: A Groundbreaking Global Regulation Changes the Game

Interview with Fabrice Herveleu, Head of Safety Expertise at UTAC

Automated vehicle regulation has reached a new milestone. Adopted in June 2026 by the UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), the new regulation dedicated to Automated Driving Systems (ADS) establishes the first global regulatory framework covering automated driving systems through to driverless vehicles.

To understand what this new regulation means in practical terms for manufacturers and mobility stakeholders, Fabrice Herveleu, Head of Safety Expertise at UTAC, discusses its key developments and the associated safety challenges.

Does the new regulation adopted in June 2026 mark a turning point for automated mobility?

Fabrice Herveleu: Yes, clearly. Until now, we had, among other things, a European regulatory framework that had enabled progress in the type approval of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems, but with a more limited scope. The new regulation adopted at UNECE level follows the same philosophy, but with a broader scope.

Combined with a set of harmonised requirements, its main benefit lies precisely in its international dimension. It is intended to provide a common framework for markets and regions currently working on automated mobility, including Europe, China, Japan, Canada and the United States, with broader interest in its use in other markets. UNECE describes it as the first global framework for regulating fully automated driving systems.

What is the main new feature of this regulation?

The fundamental change is that it now provides comprehensive coverage of vehicles equipped with an automated driving system, with the driving task genuinely delegated to the system.

This applies to SAE Levels 3 to 5 of driving automation. The key difference compared with Level 2 driver assistance systems is that the driver is no longer responsible for the driving task when the system is activated within its operational domain. This is an important distinction. With a Level 2 driver assistance system, the driver remains responsible and must continuously monitor the driving task.

With ADS, the system takes over the driving task under the conditions for which it was designed. The safety challenge is therefore no longer simply to verify whether the driver is able to take back control: it is necessary to demonstrate that the system itself is capable of managing its operational domain and the situations it is expected to encounter.

Is responsibility therefore transferred to the manufacturer?

This is one of the major changes associated with the delegation of the driving task.

When the system is effectively in control of the driving task within its operational domain, responsibility for the system’s performance no longer rests on the driver in the same way. The manufacturer must demonstrate that its system has been designed, developed and validated to perform the driving task under the declared conditions.

Where does autonomous mobility stand today?

Today, the most tangible applications of automation are primarily commercial services, particularly in China and the United States. We are seeing the emergence of automated shuttle services for passenger transport, as well as delivery services and robotaxis.

These trials and deployments are particularly valuable because they allow systems to be tested in real-world environments, with users and a wide variety of traffic situations.

The new regulatory framework therefore comes at a time when the technology is moving beyond experimentation and demonstrators towards commercially available services.

Based on the current outlook, the first automated vehicles type-approved under this new framework could emerge around the end of 2027 and during 2028.

What specific requirements will manufacturers have to meet?

The regulation is based in particular on two main categories of requirements.

The first concerns the manufacturer’s safety management system. This involves verifying that the company has an organisation, processes and a safety management system suited to the development and continued safe operation of an automated vehicle.

This includes audits, monitoring processes and system changes, as well as the rules and measures required to ensure safety throughout the vehicle’s entire lifecycle.

The second category directly concerns the assessment of the vehicle and the automated driving system.

This involves confirming the performance claimed by the manufacturer and demonstrating that the vehicle is capable of operating safely within its operational domain. This demonstration relies on various methods, including track testing, testing on public roads, as well as evidence obtained through simulation.

What is UTAC’s role in automated mobility?

At UTAC, we already support our customers throughout the various stages of vehicle type approval and have also been involved in R&D projects related to automated vehicles.

We also have experience in assessing automated road transport systems as an accredited Organisme Qualifié Agréé (OQA). In France, these systems are notably subject to assessments and audits before they can be put into service on public roads.

This experience gives us a comprehensive perspective: understanding the technology, assessing the vehicle, and also considering the system once in operation within its operational environment.