Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has been appointed secretary-general of a newly established working group under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) vehicle regulations framework, marking the first time a Chinese company has held such a role in the UN's autonomous driving regulatory core, according to PCauto.
The new group, called the Task Force on Scenario Information Exchange for Autonomous Driving (TF-ESRI), operates under the Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA). Co-chaired by China and France, TF-ESRI brings together regulators, certification bodies, technical experts, and industry representatives from around the world. Its mission is to share information and practical experience on road conditions, traffic behavior, and safety performance of autonomous driving across different countries and regions, aiming to identify safety issues in diverse environments and provide reference for R&D, testing, and certification.
Chinese expertise in global regulation
Xpeng, supported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, will represent the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) in carrying out the secretary-general duties, working alongside a counterpart from SAE International to coordinate the group's affairs and operations. The role is seen as a channel for Chinese autonomous driving practical experience to contribute to global regulatory collaboration.
Xpeng has been active in UN WP.29 international vehicle regulation discussions in recent years. In February, the UN World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations held a meeting of the informal working group on autonomous driving systems in Shanghai, where Xpeng participated as a domestic automaker representative, showcasing its advanced driver assistance technology and sharing real-world application cases from Chinese road scenarios.
On the technology front, Xpeng is advancing local adaptation of its intelligent driving system for Europe. In July, the second-generation VLA (Vision-Language-Action) large model of Xpeng's Turing AI intelligent driving completed localization acceptance testing on German roads. The model uses a single technology base to adapt to both Chinese and European road conditions, preparing for future mass production in Europe.
European testing and Paris showcase
In September, media conducted real-world road tests of Xpeng's NGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) and Tesla's FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The local roads feature dense water systems and mixed traffic of motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles. Both systems completed most road conditions, with Tesla's FSD already completed local testing and opened to owners, while Xpeng's localization testing is still in progress.
The upcoming 2026 Paris Motor Show will feature a "Smart Driving Lab" public experience session, with Xpeng and Tesla as participating companies. Media and visitors will be able to experience both intelligent assisted driving systems on-site, marking Xpeng's first large-scale public demonstration of NGP in Europe.
Looking ahead, Xpeng plans to use the TF-ESRI platform to continue sharing scenario experience accumulated from autonomous driving deployment in China, participating in global technical exchanges on autonomous driving scenarios, safety, and testing. The company also continues to develop smart electric vehicles, humanoid robots, and Robotaxis, engaging in international industry technical discussions.
