Abstract
The automotive industry is a major force in the world economy, and is fast pursuing growth on emerging markets worldwide. Globalization in automotive markets gives rise to economic and industrial globalization, with automotive manufacturers eager to offer their new customers the best products at the best price. In order to achieve the highest safety and environment performance on new markets at the best price, one important challenge for the automobile concerns the development of worldwide harmonization in automotive technical regulations, as sought by manufacturers (including Renault under its Alliance with Nissan), automotive equipment suppliers and national administrations. The aim is to develop harmonized worldwide technical regulations on the basis of global standards. Because of historical factors, divergence in national legal systems and differences in motor-vehicle population typologies, this will be a long and arduous process, requiring broad consensus among partners with very diverse backgrounds. But despite the difficulties, conditions are favourable, and a determined approach to harmonization stands every chance of success.