Governments plan vehicle safety rule changes across countries

Authorities and industry groups are pursuing different approaches to vehicle safety and oversight. In Reading, Pennsylvania, a multi-agency inspection of commercial trucks resulted in citations for violations and several vehicles and drivers being taken out of service. China has proposed stricter development and testing requirements for new vehicle features, including limits on concealed door handles, certain seat configurations and flexible displays, while requiring physical controls for key functions. In the United Kingdom, techUK supports a proposed automated-vehicle safety standard equivalent to that of a careful and competent human driver, but says regulators should provide clearer guidance and assess behavior proportionately and in context.