Vehicle regulations are requirements that automobiles must satisfy in order to be approved for sale or use in a particular country or region. They are usually mandated by legislation, and administered by a government body. The regulations concern aspects such as lighting, controls, crashworthiness, environment protection and theft protection, and might include safety belts or automated features.

Government regulation in the automotive industry directly affects the way cars look, how their components are designed, the safety features that are included, and the overall performance of any given vehicle. As a result, these regulations also have a significant effect on the automotive business by generally increasing production costs while also placing limitations on how cars are sold and marketed. Automotive regulations are designed to benefit the consumer and protect the environment, and automakers can face stiff fines and other penalties if they are not followed.

— investopedia, ^[1]

Some countries have had national regulations for a long time. The first steps toward harmonizing vehicle regulations internationally were made in 1952 when WP.29, a working party of experts on vehicles' technical requirements, was created. This resulted in the 1958 Agreement on uniform conditions of approval and mutual recognition of vehicle approvals, components, and parts. This was one of the first international agreements on vehicle regulation, which initially focused on European countries. The European Union played a role in harmonizing regulations between member states. Later, the 1958 agreement was opened to non-European countries such as Japan, Korea, and Australia.

To join the WP.29, one has to send a letter signed by an important official from their country or regional economic integration organization (REIO) informing the secretariat of WP.29 that they would like to participate in meetings regarding the harmonization of vehicle regulations (United Nations).^[2] The next step to participate would be to get the registration form completed by delegates who are also attending the meeting. Other parties such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) must be of certified advisory status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).

There was a new international agreement in 1998 whose objectives were to improve global safety, decrease environmental pollution and consumption of energy and improve anti‐theft performance of vehicles and related components and equipment through establishing global technical regulations (GTRs) in a Global Registry based on UNECE Regulations or national regulations listed in a Compendium of candidates, GTR harmonizing them at the highest level. In 2000, WP.29 became the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations that is a working party of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

In 1947 the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) was established to reconstruct Europe after the war took place, expand profitable activity, and nourish relationships between European countries and the rest of the nation. With the help of UNECE, it is used as policy dialogue, economic dialogue, and assist countries in their intermingling into the global economy. UNECE attempts to maintain amicable relationships amongst other countries involving transport, trade, statistics, energy, forestry, housing, and land management (UN. ECE).^[3] UNECE is multisector that is a tool used to tackle hardships that may arise providing solutions when possible.

• International
  • United Nations has a World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations related to three vehicle agreements.
    • 1998 agreement, global agreement including 38 countries: (Global Technical Regulations). In the parties are Japan, Australia, Korea, Russia, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, China, South Africa and the US.
    • 1958 agreement, regional agreement including 58 parties: ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe). In the parties are Japan, Australia, Korea, Russia and the European Union and United Kingdom.
• Regional agreements and regulations
  • European Union is a single market with the European Economic Area with laws named EU directive or regulation EU regulations which make some UNECE regulations applicable at a given date in its 27 member states.
  • NAFTA makes Canada, the US and Mexico to share some safety regulations.^[4]
• National
  • United States: FMVSS (administered by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also administers the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard)
  • Canada: CMVSS
  • China: Guobiao standards
  • South Korea: KMVSS
  • Australia: ADR (Australian Design Rules) Australia applies some UNECE regulation such as regulation 16 and some FMVS 209 regulation.^[5]
  • Japan: Test Requirements and Instructions for Automobile Standards. As a member of both the 1958 and the 1998 agreement Japan applies 64 regulations from those two set of regulations.^[6]
  • India: AIS (Automotive Industry Standards), BSES (Bharat stage emission standards)
  • United Kingdom: inherited EU laws and might comply with some UNECE regulations
• Provincial/State
  • California state, United States: CARB (California Air Resources Board)

Vehicles meeting EU standards offer reduced risk of serious injury in frontal/side crashes and have driver‐side mirrors that reduce risk in lane-change crashes better, while vehicles meeting US standards provide a lower risk of injury in rollovers and have headlamps that make pedestrians more conspicuous.

— Carol A. Flannagan, Andrée Bélint, ..., Comparing motor-vehicle crash risk of EU and US vehicles, 1 January 2015^[17]

• FMVSS