Vehicle regulations are requirements that automobiles must satisfy in order to be approved for sale or use in a particular country or region. They are usually mandated by legislation, and administered by a government body. The regulations concern aspects such as lighting, controls, crashworthiness, environment protection and theft protection, and might include safety belts or automated features.
History
Some countries have had national regulations for a long time. The first steps toward harmonizing vehicle regulations internationally were made in 1952 when WP.29, a working party of experts on vehicles' technical requirements, was created. This resulted in the 1958 Agreement on uniform conditions of approval and mutual recognition of vehicle approvals, components, and parts. This was one of the first international agreements on vehicle regulation, which initially focused on European countries. The European Union played a role in harmonizing regulations between member states. Later, the 1958 agreement was opened to non-European countries such as Japan, Korea, and Australia.
To join the WP.29, one has to send a letter signed by an important official from their country or regional economic integration organization (REIO) informing the secretariat of WP.29 that they would like to participate in meetings regarding the harmonization of vehicle regulations (United Nations). The next step to participate would be to get the registration form completed by delegates who are also attending the meeting. Other parties such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) must be of certified advisory status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
There was a new international agreement in 1998 whose objectives were to improve global safety, decrease environmental pollution and consumption of energy and improve anti‐theft performance of vehicles and related components and equipment through establishing global technical regulations (GTRs) in a Global Registry based on UNECE Regulations or national regulations listed in a Compendium of candidates, GTR harmonizing them at the highest level. In 2000, WP.29 became the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations that is a working party of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
In 1947 the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) was established to reconstruct Europe after the war took place, expand profitable activity, and nourish relationships between European countries and the rest of the nation. With the help of UNECE, it is used as policy dialogue, economic dialogue, and assist countries in their intermingling into the global economy. UNECE attempts to maintain amicable relationships amongst other countries involving transport, trade, statistics, energy, forestry, housing, and land management (UN. ECE). UNECE is multisector that is a tool used to tackle hardships that may arise providing solutions when possible.
Geographical regulations International United Nations has a World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations related to three vehicle agreements. 1998 agreement, global agreement including 38 countries: (Global Technical Regulations). In the parties are Japan, Australia, Korea, Russia, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, China, South Africa and the US. 1958 agreement, regional agreement including 58 parties: ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe). In the parties are Japan, Australia, Korea, Russia and the European Union and United Kingdom. Regional agreements and regulations European Union is a single market with the European Economic Area with laws named EU directive or regulation EU regulations which make some UNECE regulations applicable at a given date in its 27 member states. NAFTA binds Canada, the US, and Mexico to some safety regulations. National United States: FMVSS (administered by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also administers the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard) Canada: CMVSS China: Guobiao standards South Korea: KMVSS Australia: ADR (Australian Design Rules) Australia applies some UNECE regulation such as regulation 16 and some FMVS 209 regulation. Japan: Test Requirements and Instructions for Automobile Standards. As a member of both the 1958 and the 1998 agreement Japan applies 64 regulations from those two set of regulations. India: AIS (Automotive Industry Standards), BSES (Bharat stage emission standards) United Kingdom: inherited EU laws and might comply with some UNECE regulations Provincial/State California state, United States: CARB (California Air Resources Board)
Table of regulations Global regulations and their relation with national / regional law + Status of the Agreement, of the Global Registry and of the Compendium of Candidates, Revision 31, UNECE, 16 november2021 Global regulation number Global regulation title Australia Canada PRC EU India Japan Russia US 1 Door locks and door retention components into national law into national law TranspositionUN Regulation No.11 into national law TranspositionUN Regulation No.11 Transposition 1 Am 1 Door locks and door retention components TranspositionUN Regulation No.11 TranspositionUN Regulation No.11 Transposition 2 Measurement procedure for two-wheeled motorcycles (...) with regard to the emission of gaseous pollutants, CO 2 emissions and fuel consumption Regional law 3 Motorcycle brake systems TranspositionUN Regulation No.78 TranspositionUN Regulation No.78 into national law TranspositionUN Regulation No.78 Transposition 4 (...) natural gas (NG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (...) the emission of pollutants (WHDC) TranspositionUN Regulation No.49 TranspositionUN Regulation No.49 5 on-board diagnostic systems (OBD) for road vehicles TranspositionUN Regulation No.49 TranspositionUN Regulation No.49 6 Safety glazing TranspositionUN Regulation No.43 TranspositionUN Regulation No.43 7 Head restraints 8 Electronic stability control systems into national law with amendments and exemptions transposed into national law with amendments and exemptions TranspositionUN Regulation No.13-H TranspositionUN Regulation No.13-H 9 Pedestrian safety Regional law into national law into national law 9 Am 1 Pedestrian safety TranspositionUN Regulation No.127 National law 10 Off-cycle emissions (OCE) TranspositionUN Regulation No.49 11 (...) agricultural and forestry tractors (...) emissions of pollutants by the engine TranspositionUN Regulation No.96 into national law with amendments 12 Location, identification and operation of motorcycle controls, tell-tales and indicators TranspositionUN Regulation No.60 13 hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles 14 Pole Side Impact 15 Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) 16 Tyres 17Crankcase and evaporative emissions of L-category vehicles 18 On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems for L-category vehicles19EVAPorative emission test procedure for the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP EVAP)20Electric Vehicle Safety (EVS)21 Determination of Electrified Vehicle Power (DEVP)22 -vehicle Battery Durability for Electrified Light-Duty Vehicles24 Laboratory Measurement of Brake Emissions for Light-Duty VehiclesCOUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2024/1775of 18 June 2024on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (...) on proposals for modifications to UN global technical regulation Nos (...) 22, and 24, and (...)
A new global technical regulation has also been proposed based on the accepted Proposal to develop a new UN GTR on Automated Driving Systems submitted by the representatives of Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America for the generation of the draft UN Global Technical Regulation on ADS. In 2024, this regulation is still under development.ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2024/38 2024
Specific national / regional regulations UNECE Europe and EU lawsthe column contains few non UN regulations USA Global India Japan China South Korea Australia Gulf Doors UN R11 FMVSS 206 GTR 1 IS 14225 GSO 419/1994, GSO 420/1994 Steering wheel UN R12 FMVSS 203, FMVSS 204 AIS-096 GB 11557-2011 Seat belts UN R14 FMVSS 209 AIS-015 GSO 96/1988, GSO 97/1988 Child restraint system UN R44, R129 FMVSS 213 AIS-072 JIS D 040122000 GB 14166-2013 KMVSS 103-2 AS/NZS 1754:2013; AS/NZS 3629:2013 GSO 1709/2005, GSO 1710/2005 Head restraints UN R17 FMVSS 202a GTR 7 IS 15546 GSO 1598/2002 Seats UN R17, UN R80 AIS-016, AIS-023 Occupant head impact UN R21 FMVSS 201 IS 15223 Art. 20 GB 11552-2009 KMVSS 88 ADR 21 Rear impact UN R32, UN R34 FMVSS 202a, FMVSS 301 AIS-101 Art. 15‐J017‐01 GB 20072-2006 GSO 37/2012 Bumper impact UN R42 FMVSS 581 AIS-006 GB 17354-1998 GSO 41/2007 Side windows UN R43 FMVSS 205, FMVSS 226 GTR 6 Rollover FMVSS 208 Roof strength UN R66 FMVSS 216, FMVSS 216a AIS-031 GB 26134-2010 GSO 39/2005 Offset frontal impact UN R94 FMVSS 208 AIS-098 Art. 18 GB/T 20913-2007 KMVSS 102 ADR 73/00 GSO 36/2005 Side impact - moving barrier UN R95 FMVSS 214 GTR 14 AIS-099 Art. 18 Attachmt. 24 GB 20071-2006 KMVSS 102 ADR 72/00 GSO 1707/2005, GSO 1708/2005 Pedestrian protection UN R127, EC R78/2009, EC R631/2009 GTR 9 AIS-100 Art. 18 Attachmt. 99 GB/T 24550-2009 KMVSS 102-2 Side pole impact UN R135 FMVSS 214 GTR 14 Art. 18 GB/T 37337/2019 KMVSS 102-4 ADR 85/00 Side door intrusion / Side door strengthFMVSS 214IS 12009ADR 29/00GSO 38/2005 Full frontal impact UN R137 FMVSS 208 AIS-096 Art. 18 Attachmt. 23 GB 11551-2014 KMVSS 102-3 ADR 69/00 GSO 36/2005 Sleeper coaches AIS-119 Vehicle interior noise (proposal) 49 CFR 393.94 IS-12832 Vehicle exterior noise (noise pollution) UN R9, UN R41, UN R51, UN R63 40 CFR 205.52 Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules Electric vehicle warning sounds (AVAS) Regulation 540/2014, UN R138 FMVSS 141 Motorcycle helmetsUN R22FMVSS 218IS 4151JIS T 8133:2000AS/NZS 1698Automotive lightsFMVSS 108Front underrun protectionUN R93AIS-069Rear underrun protectionUN R58FMVSS 223, FMVSS 224IS 14812Lateral protection devicesUN R73IS 14682Truck cabsUN R29AIS-029ABS UN R8 (motorcycles)Speed limitation UN R89Airbag UN 114 & UN R94 FMVSS 208Replacement wheels UN R124ESC UN R140 FMVSS 126ADR 88/00TPMS UN R141 FMVSS 138AECS (eCall) UN R144Blind Spot Information System UN R151AEB UN R152, UN R131ADR 98/01ALKS UN R157
Other shared regulations UNECE regulations
Japan applies and is a member of the following UNECE regulations 3, approval of retro-reflecting devices for power-driven vehicles and their trailers 4, illumination of rear registration plates of power-driven vehicles and their trailers 6, approval of direction indicators for power-driven vehicles and their trailers 7, front and rear position lamps, stop-lamps and end-outline marker lamps for motor vehicles and their trailers 10, electromagnetic compatibility 11, door latches and door retention components 12, protection of the driver against the steering mechanism in the event of impact 13, braking 14, safety-belt anchorages 16, various safety belt related considerations 17, seats, their anchorages and any head restraints 19, front fog lamps 21, interior fittings 23, reversing and manoeuvring lamps for power-driven vehicles and their trailers 25, head restraints (headrests), whether or not incorporated in vehicle seats 26, external projections 27, advance-warning triangles 28, audible warning devices and of motor vehicles with regard to their audible warning signals 30, pneumatic tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers 34, prevention of fire risks 37, filament light sources for use in approved lamps of power-driven vehicles and of their trailers 38, rear fog lamps for power-driven vehicles and their trailers 39, speedometer and odometer equipment including its installation 41, motor cycles with regard to noise