AI in Vehicle Regulation: A CITA Strategic Dialogue
Yesterday, 25 March 2026, CITA organized a webinar titled “AI in Vehicle Regulation: A CITA Strategic Dialogue”, bringing together members to discuss the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in vehicle regulation and its implications for inspection and approval authorities.
Presented by Olivier Pletinckx, CITA Technical Manager, the session provided an overview of the ongoing work within the UNECE Informal Working Group (IWG) on Artificial Intelligence, which aims to support WP.29 in developing guidance on safe and trustworthy AI in vehicles. The group is working towards a risk-based regulatory framework addressing how AI is used in regulated automotive systems and how potential risks can be managed throughout the lifecycle of AI-based technologies.
During the webinar, participants explored how AI is already influencing vehicle technologies and regulatory processes. AI is increasingly embedded in safety-critical vehicle systems, including perception functions for detecting road users and obstacles, planning and motion control systems, and monitoring functions such as driver attention and occupant safety.
The discussion also highlighted the growing relevance of AI for inspection and market surveillance activities. Artificial Intelligence can support inspection processes through technologies such as computer vision for automated visual inspection, analysis of vehicle diagnostics and emissions data, predictive maintenance analytics, and automated anomaly detection during testing procedures. In the future, AI could also enable more advanced concepts such as fully automated inspection lanes, continuous vehicle monitoring through connected data, and AI-based risk prioritisation for inspections.
Participants were also briefed on the broader regulatory discussions taking place within the IWG. The group is examining AI use cases, reviewing existing international standards, and developing a catalogue of potential risks associated with AI systems, including issues related to data quality, robustness, traceability, and lifecycle monitoring. These efforts aim to provide a practical reference framework for regulators and type approval authorities.
A key message from the session was that AI regulation is rapidly becoming a central topic in automotive safety governance, and that inspection, approval and market surveillance authorities must actively contribute to shaping this emerging framework.
As a next step, CITA members discussed the proposal to establish a dedicated CITA Task Force on Artificial Intelligence. The objective of this initiative would be to consolidate expertise within the association, analyse regulatory developments, and coordinate structured contributions to the ongoing work within UNECE WP.29.
The webinar highlighted the importance of ensuring that the inspection community’s perspective is reflected in future AI regulatory guidance, particularly as AI technologies increasingly influence both vehicle safety systems and inspection methodologies.