經過近 18 個月的漫長流程，2017 年 7 月25 日舉行的聯合國經濟和社會理事會（ECOSOC）協調和管理會議 (Coordination and Managementmeeting) 上，SAE International作為一家非政府組織（NGO），終于正式通過非政府組織委員會19 名成員國的審核，獲得聯合國經濟和社會理事會“特別咨商地位”。
獲得“特別咨商地位”意味著 SAE 可以向聯合國提交報告和數據、參加 ECOSOC 的所有會議，并在國際事務中發揮更大作用。
SAE 向聯合國申請這一資格的目的是為了更多參與有關地面、空中運輸和多式聯運、環境、能源、網絡安全及與殘疾人便利等領域的相關工作項目。
自 2016 年初，SAE 聯邦項目開發總監 Bill Gouse 就已經開始著手進行有關“特別咨商地位”的申請流程。Gouse 告訴《汽車工程》，雖然沒有獲得這一資格，也可以參加聯合國會議，或通過聯合國網絡電視觀看直播，“但如果沒有‘特別咨商地位’，我們只能坐在一邊旁聽，而無法發表意見。”
Gouse 也提到，這一資格的申請流程耗時很長，涉及大量文書工作。首先，非政府組織需提出申請，然后聯合國非政府組織委員會的成員國代表將審核這些申請，并根據提出申請組織的自身條件（任務、監管、財務制度），為通過審核的組織授予不同類型的咨商地位，即全面咨商地位、特別咨商地位或名冊咨商地位。
2017 年 5 月下旬，Gouse 在紐約聯合國總部經濟和社會理事會非政府組織委員會第二十二屆會議期間發表了現場講話（時長：1:58:24）
在講話中，Gouse 強調了 SAE 在推動全球各類安全、環保、高效交通運輸（含建筑和農業設備）方面的貢獻，并同時介紹了 SAE 所主導的技術轉移和終身學習活動。
在今年6月，SAE作為推薦成員被列在非政府組織委員會所收到的推薦名單上，并在聯合國經濟和社會理事會 7 月 25 日的協調管理會議上正式授予了 SAE 的特別咨商地位。
憑借所取得的特別咨商地位，SAE 將首先參與聯合國歐洲經濟委員會（ECE）可持續發展交通運輸部第一工作組全球道路交通安全論壇 (GlobalForum for Road Traffic Safety) 和第二十九工作組世界汽車法規協調論壇(World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations)。具體來說，這兩個工作組每年均將在日內瓦或紐約舉辦 2 到 3 次高級別會議，并在其他地點舉辦一些專門會議。
“第一工作組的主要工作是與公路運營機構、執法人員及其他利益攸關方共同探討自動駕駛和車輛網聯方面的復雜問題。目前，工作組已經在廣泛討論汽車及其現階段和未來與道路環境之間的關系。”Gouse解釋說，“第一工作組所制定的政策和標準，將給第二十九工作組的特定工作帶來影響，因為后者的工作主要與車輛有關。”
Gouse 補充道，“第二十九工作組主要負責全球機動車條例的協調工作及 SAE 等非政府機構制定的相關標準，而第一工作組則主要負責全球道路安全方面的工作，應對汽車、卡車、公共汽車、摩托車和非機動車輛的公路行駛安全問題。”這些工作組的專家成員來自多個相關領域，工作范圍涉及基礎設施交通信號、標志和電線桿，以及應急響應、危險材料運輸及隧道設計等方方面面。
SAE 取得的“特別咨商地位”，對 SAE 自身及聯合國都具有重要意義。SAE 車輛標準部總監 Jack Pokrzywa 表示，“交通運輸領域的各種新興先進技術都需要非常仔細的審查和實施。”
Pokrzywa 向《汽車工程》解釋道，對相關各國而言，在這一過程中，國內和國際法規都非常關鍵，而且法規的制定應當借鑒一線車輛開發人員和研究人員的專業知識。“只有全球各國監管機構緊密聯系，才有可能為全球道路交通運輸工具提供一個更可靠、更安全的大環境。”
Pokrzywa 表示，“SAE 標準制定領域擁有無與倫比的專業工程知識儲備，如今憑借“特別咨商地位”，我們可以向聯合國法規制定工作組及時提供技術建議。”同時，SAE委員會成員也將有機會提前了解未來可能出臺的相關法規。
Gouse說，“SAE會員正在進行的工作具有極大的價值。”最近取得的“特別咨商地位”將讓更多全球主要國際組織有機會了解或借鑒SAE 的工作成果。與此同時，SAE 也將有機會向這些組織學習，并將成果及時反饋至 SAE 會員，為他們帶來更寬廣的全球視野。
After a nearly 18-month process to gain Special Consultative Status with the United Nations (UN) as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), SAE International was formally granted the status by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) NGO Committee’s 19 member states during its July 25, 2017 Coordination and Management meeting.
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 in order to 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 the disabled.
Bill Gouse, SAE’s Director, Federal Program Development, has been working since early 2016 on the application process to achieve Special Consultative Status. 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 plenty 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.
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; in June, the NGO Committee adopted their report. Then during the UN ECOSOC's July 25 Coordination and Management meeting the group formally approved SAE's Special Consultative Status.
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 or three high-level main meetings each year in Geneva and New York, along with specialized meetings held in other locations.
“What’s important in Working Party 1 is this is where the complex driving automation and connectivity issues are discussed with highway operators, enforcement and other interests. A lot of discussions pertain to vehicles and their current and future relationship with the roadway environment,” Gouse explained. “Policy and criteria developed in WP1 will influence the specialized activities in WP29 that are focused on the vehicle.”
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, motorcycles and non-motorized transport in use on the highways.” The group’s experts include those involved with infrastructure—traffic signals, markings and poles, as well as emergency response and hazardous materials transport 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.
“SAE members are doing a tremendous amount of valuable 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.
Author: Jennifer Shuttleworth
Source: SAE Automotive Engineering Magazine
在聯合國的紐約總部內，SAE 聯邦項目開發總監 Bill Gouse 正在向 NGO 委員會 19 個成員國代表進行匯報。（圖片來源：聯合國視頻）
