UN R18 Supplement 5 (03 series) · UNECE Regulation No. 18 (ECE R18) — Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor vehicles with regard to their protection against unauthorized use.

UN R18 — Supplement 5 to the 03 series of amendments

Supplement 4 → 5

Adopted at the WP.29 199th sessionEntry into force not yet known

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What changed: New paragraphs 0. to 0.1.2. add an Introduction on vehicles of categories X and Y and on vehicles with an ADS.
In a vehicle without “driver/manual driving controls”, provisions related to them must not be taken into account, unless this amendment already covers them.
For vehicles with an ADS, no special provisions or exemptions apply in any driving mode.
Why: The Regulation was originally drafted for vehicles with a driver and manual driving controls.
The amendment intends to extend its application to vehicles without a driver and without manual driving controls.
The proposal follows the common recommendations of the TF-AVRS activities, coordinated with the subsidiary bodies of WP.29.

Q1What changed6 changes

New Introduction: the purpose of Supplement 5 (paras 0. and 0.1.)

New paragraph 0. adds an Introduction to the Regulation. Paragraph 0.1. says that Supplement 5 is introduced to take into account vehicles of categories X and Y. It is also introduced to take into account vehicles with an Automated Driving System (ADS) and a manual mode operating at speeds above 6 km/h. Before this supplement, the Regulation had no paragraph 0.

Introduction

Supplement 5 to the 03 series of amendments is introduced to take into account vehicles of categories X and Y, as well as vehicles with a manual mode operating at speeds above 6 km/h which are equipped with an Automated Driving System (ADS).

Vehicles without a driver and manual driving controls, and vehicles with an ADS (paras 0.1.1. and 0.1.2.)

Paragraph 0.1.1. says that the Regulation was originally drafted for vehicles with a driver and manual driving controls. The amendment intends to keep the spirit of the Regulation and to extend its application to vehicles without a driver and without manual driving controls. In a vehicle without “driver/manual driving controls”, provisions related to them must not be taken into account, unless this amendment already covers them. Paragraph 0.1.2. says that for vehicles with an ADS, no special provisions or exemptions apply in any driving mode.

The Regulation was originally drafted for vehicles with driver and manual driving controls. It is the intention of this amendment to keep the spirit of the Regulation and to extend its application to vehicles without driver and without manual driving controls in the vehicle. In the absence of driver/manual driving controls in the vehicle, provisions related to them shall not be taken into account if not already covered by this amendment.

In case of vehicles equipped with an ADS, in any driving mode no special provisions or exemptions apply.

References to R.E.3 in footnotes 1 and 2 (paras 1.1. and 4.4.1.)

Footnote 1 to paragraph 1.1. now refers to the Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3.), document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8, with a web link. Before, it referred to Annex 7 of R.E.3 in document TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.1/Amend.2. Footnote 2 to paragraph 4.4.1. no longer lists the distinguishing numbers of the Contracting Parties. It now says that Annex 3 to R.E.3, document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8, reproduces these numbers.

As defined in Annex 7 of the Consolidated Resolution of on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3) (TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.1/Amend.2)..), document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8 - https://unece.org/transport/vehicle-regulations/wp29/resolutions

1 for Germany, 2 for France, 3 for Italy, 4 for the Netherlands, 5 for Sweden, 6 for Belgium, 7 for Hungary, 8 for the Czech Republic, 9 for Spain, 10 for Serbia and Montenegro, 11 for the United Kingdom, 12 for Austria, 13 for Luxembourg, 14 for Switzerland, 15 (vacant), 16 for Norway, 17 for Finland, 18 for Denmark, 19 for Romania, 20 for Poland, 21 for Portugal, 22 for the Russian Federation, 23 for Greece, 24 for Ireland, 25 for Croatia, 26 for Slovenia, 27 for Slovakia, 28 for Belarus, 29 for Estonia, 30 (vacant), 31 for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 32 for Latvia, 33 (vacant), 34 for Bulgaria, 35 (vacant), 36 for Lithuania, 37 for Turkey, 38 (vacant), 39 for Azerbaijan, 40 for The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 41 (vacant), 42 for the European Community (Approvals are granted by its Member States using their respective ECE symbol), 43 for Japan, 44 (vacant), 45 for Australia, 46 for Ukraine, 47 for South Africa, 48 for New Zealand, 49 for Cyprus, 50 for Malta and 51 for the Republic of Korea. Subsequent numbers shall be assigned to other countries in the chronological order in which they ratify or accede to the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these Prescriptions, and the numbers thus assigned shall be communicated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the Contracting Parties to the Agreement.The distinguishing numbers of the Contracting Parties to the 1958 Agreement are reproduced in Annex 3 to the Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3), document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8, - https://unece.org/transport/vehicle-regulations/wp29/resolutions

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Q2Why it changed

Proposed by: Expert from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on behalf of the Task Force on Automated Vehicles Regulatory Screening (TF-AVRS)
Working party: GRSG, 130th session (October 2025)

Reasons

Supplement 5 is introduced to take into account vehicles of categories X and Y. It is also introduced to take into account vehicles with an ADS and a manual mode operating at speeds above 6 km/h.
Sources (2)
“Supplement 5 to the 03 series of amendments is introduced to take into account vehicles of categories X and Y”
ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/101para. 0.1.
“as well as vehicles with a manual mode operating at speeds above 6 km/h which are equipped with an Automated Driving System (ADS)”
ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/101para. 0.1.
The Regulation was originally drafted for vehicles with a driver and manual driving controls. The amendment intends to keep the spirit of the Regulation and to extend its application to vehicles without a driver and without manual driving controls.
Sources (2)
“The Regulation was originally drafted for vehicles with driver and manual driving controls.”
ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/101para. 0.1.1.
“It is the intention of this amendment to keep the spirit of the Regulation and to extend its application to vehicles without driver and without manual driving controls in the vehicle.”
ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/101para. 0.1.1.
This proposal is one of the TF-AVRS proposals that update UN Regulations. They follow the common recommendations of the TF-AVRS activities, coordinated with the subsidiary bodies of WP.29.
Source
“on behalf of the Task Force on Automated Vehicles Regulatory Screening (TF-AVRS) introduced proposals of amendments updating the regulations (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2025/14 to 46) according to the common recommendations of the coordinated task force activities with the subsidiary bodies of WP.29”
ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/109para. 34

Document trail

—RevisedGRSG-130-46-Rev.1Revised TF-AVRS proposal that replaced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2025/14
—Working party adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/109Session report, para. 34
2026-04Sent to WP.29ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2026/101Text that GRSG sent to WP.29 and AC.1
2026-06-24WP.29 adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/1192Adopted at the 199th session (session report, para. 103)
PendingIn forceDate not yet known

Q3Who is affected

Vehicle manufacturer

For a vehicle without “driver/manual driving controls”, list the provisions that relate to these controls. Then find which of them this amendment already covers (para. 0.1.1.).
For a vehicle with an ADS, do not plan for special provisions or exemptions in any driving mode (para. 0.1.2.).
Update the documents that quote the R.E.3 footnotes of this Regulation to document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8.

Component supplier

Ask the vehicle manufacturer if the vehicle has “driver/manual driving controls”, because paragraph 0.1.1. depends on this.

Technical service / Approval authority

For a vehicle without “driver/manual driving controls”, leave out the related provisions that this amendment does not already cover (para. 0.1.1.).
For a vehicle with an ADS, apply no special provisions or exemptions in any driving mode (para. 0.1.2.).
Use Annex 3 to R.E.3, document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.8, for the distinguishing numbers of the Contracting Parties.

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