UN approved first global technical regulation on automated driving systems, co-led by China The world's first global technical regulation on automated driving systems has been formally approved, marking a major step toward a unified framework for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicle technologies across the globe. The regulation, known as ADS GTR, was jointly led by China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Japan. It was adopted this week at a meeting in Geneva following a vote by all contracting parties to the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, according to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The new rule sets 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 – a milestone that is expected to accelerate industrialization and drive the intelligent transformation of the global automotive sector. The approval comes as autonomous driving technologies are rapidly evolving and entering commercial use worldwide. 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. China played a leading and facilitating role throughout the regulatory development process. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized Chinese research institutes and industry partners to contribute dozens of technical