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Written by Jennifer Shuttleworth
After a nearly 18-month process to gain Special Consultative Status with the United Nations (UN) as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), SAE International has received a unanimous recommendation from the UN"s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) NGO Committee"s 19 member states. Being granted Special Consultative Status enables SAE"s active participation in the forums in the ECOSOC one of the four divisions of the UN. The designation will allow SAE to present papers and data for consideration and discussion, and allow SAE to attend any meeting the ECOSOC holds. SAE applied for this status with the UN so the society could participate in a variety of work programs in the surface, air and multimodal transport, environmental and energy issues, as well as those related to cybersecurity and accessibility for disabled persons. Bill Gouse, SAE"s Director, Federal Program Development, has been working on the application process to achieve Special Consultative Status since early 2016. While anyone can attend a UN meeting, or watch it on UN WEB TV, "without this status, we may only sit in the gallery and listen," Gouse told Automotive Engineering. The application process itself was lengthy and involved a lot of paperwork, Gouse said. The NGO Committee"s UN member state representatives vet applications submitted by NGOs. They recommend general, special or roster status, depending on the applicant"s criteria (mandate, governance and financial regime). In late May 2017, there was an in-person presentation during the 22nd session of the ECOSOC NGO Committee at UN Headquarters in New York City (at 1:58:24 mark at http://webtv.un.org/search/22nd-meeting-2017-resumed-session-of-the-committee-on-non-governmental-organizations-22-to-31-may-2017/5447134278001?term=(22nd%20Meeting). In the speech Gouse highlighted SAE"s global contributions to advancing the safety, environmental conservation, and productivity of all modes of transportation along with construction and agricultural equipment. He also discussed SAE"s technology transfer and lifelong learning activities. SAE was among the NGOs recommended that day, and then in June the NGO Committee adopted their report. The UN ECOSOC was slated to formally grant SAE"s status during its Coordination and Management Meeting in late July. With its new Special Consultative Status, SAE"s participation with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Sustainable Transport Division will initially be with the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety in Working Party 1 (WP1) and the World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations in Working Party 29 (WP29). The working parties have two to three high-level, main meetings a year in Geneva and New York, along with specialized meetings held in other locations. "What"s important in Working Party 1 is it is where the top-level vehicle automation and connectivity issues reside, a lot of the discussions," Gouse explained. "Because on the vehicle automation automated driving system, it"s not just the car. It"s also the roadway. They are the owners of the high-level discussion, and now any specialized regulations will be done in WP29." He added, "Working Party 29 is the World"s Harmonization of Motor Vehicle Regulations, and those that they"re working on incorporate SAE standards, while Working Party 1 is the Global Road Safety activities, which addresses the safety of cars, trucks, buses, the highways." The group"s experts include those involved with infrastructure traffic signals, markings and poles, as well as emergency response and hazmat and tunnel design, etc. This status is important for SAE, as well as for the UN. According to Jack Pokrzywa, Director, Ground Vehicle Standards, SAE International, "the new set of advanced technologies require careful review and implementation." He explained that regulations, whether domestic or international, have a critical role in this process and should draw from the engineering expertise of vehicle developers and researchers. "This is where close liaison with the global regulators will ultimately result in more reliable and safer cars and trucks," Pokrzywa told AE. "SAE"s standards community represents unmatched repository of engineering knowledge which will now be able, through SAE"s presence at the regulatory table, to provide technological feedback to the regulatory Working Groups," he said. At the same time, SAE committee members will receive an early glimpse into potential future rules. "The key is SAE members today are doing a lot of work," Gouse noted. And its new UN status will enable key global organizations to access that work or consider it. Conversely, SAE will be better positioned to learn from these organizations and bring the learnings back to SAE members, helping to improve their international, global perspective.
Date written: 20-Jul-2017 01:53 EDT
More of this article on the SAE International Website
ID: 8579
After a nearly 18-month process to gain Special Consultative Status with the United Nations (UN) as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), SAE International has received a unanimous recommendation from the UN"s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) NGO Committee"s 19 member states. Being granted Special Consultative Status enables SAE"s active participation in the forums in the ECOSOC one of the four divisions of the UN. The designation will allow SAE to present papers and data for consideration and discussion, and allow SAE to attend any meeting the ECOSOC holds. SAE applied for this status with the UN so the society could participate in a variety of work programs in the surface, air and multimodal transport, environmental and energy issues, as well as those related to cybersecurity and accessibility for disabled persons. Bill Gouse, SAE"s Director, Federal Program Development, has been working on the application process to achieve Special Consultative Status since early 2016. While anyone can attend a UN meeting, or watch it on UN WEB TV, "without this status, we may only sit in the gallery and listen," Gouse told Automotive Engineering. The application process itself was lengthy and involved a lot of paperwork, Gouse said. The NGO Committee"s UN member state representatives vet applications submitted by NGOs. They recommend general, special or roster status, depending on the applicant"s criteria (mandate, governance and financial regime). In late May 2017, there was an in-person presentation during the 22nd session of the ECOSOC NGO Committee at UN Headquarters in New York City (at 1:58:24 mark at http://webtv.un.org/search/22nd-meeting-2017-resumed-session-of-the-committee-on-non-governmental-organizations-22-to-31-may-2017/5447134278001?term=(22nd%20Meeting). In the speech Gouse highlighted SAE"s global contributions to advancing the safety, environmental conservation, and productivity of all modes of transportation along with construction and agricultural equipment. He also discussed SAE"s technology transfer and lifelong learning activities. SAE was among the NGOs recommended that day, and then in June the NGO Committee adopted their report. The UN ECOSOC was slated to formally grant SAE"s status during its Coordination and Management Meeting in late July. With its new Special Consultative Status, SAE"s participation with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Sustainable Transport Division will initially be with the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety in Working Party 1 (WP1) and the World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations in Working Party 29 (WP29). The working parties have two to three high-level, main meetings a year in Geneva and New York, along with specialized meetings held in other locations. "What"s important in Working Party 1 is it is where the top-level vehicle automation and connectivity issues reside, a lot of the discussions," Gouse explained. "Because on the vehicle automation automated driving system, it"s not just the car. It"s also the roadway. They are the owners of the high-level discussion, and now any specialized regulations will be done in WP29." He added, "Working Party 29 is the World"s Harmonization of Motor Vehicle Regulations, and those that they"re working on incorporate SAE standards, while Working Party 1 is the Global Road Safety activities, which addresses the safety of cars, trucks, buses, the highways." The group"s experts include those involved with infrastructure traffic signals, markings and poles, as well as emergency response and hazmat and tunnel design, etc. This status is important for SAE, as well as for the UN. According to Jack Pokrzywa, Director, Ground Vehicle Standards, SAE International, "the new set of advanced technologies require careful review and implementation." He explained that regulations, whether domestic or international, have a critical role in this process and should draw from the engineering expertise of vehicle developers and researchers. "This is where close liaison with the global regulators will ultimately result in more reliable and safer cars and trucks," Pokrzywa told AE. "SAE"s standards community represents unmatched repository of engineering knowledge which will now be able, through SAE"s presence at the regulatory table, to provide technological feedback to the regulatory Working Groups," he said. At the same time, SAE committee members will receive an early glimpse into potential future rules. "The key is SAE members today are doing a lot of work," Gouse noted. And its new UN status will enable key global organizations to access that work or consider it. Conversely, SAE will be better positioned to learn from these organizations and bring the learnings back to SAE members, helping to improve their international, global perspective.
Date written: 20-Jul-2017 01:53 EDT
More of this article on the SAE International Website
ID: 8579
