The road vehicle is being reinvented. Once defined by its mechanical components, it is becoming an increasingly connected system shaped by software, data and artificial intelligence. At the same time, the automotive industry is under pressure to reduce its environmental impact across the entire vehicle life cycle.
Together, these momentous shifts are changing the nature of mobility and rewiring an industry that connects people, goods and markets across the world.
Standards are the silent enabler of journeys by road. For almost 80 years, the experts of ISO’s technical committee, ISO/TC 22, Road vehicles, have been developing standards that protect passengers, ensure quality and support innovation in the field.
Their efforts have earned them ISO’s highest distinction, the 2026 Lawrence D. Eicher (LDE) Leadership Award, in recognition of their significant contribution to the development of ISO standards and achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The award will be presented to Fabien Duboc, outgoing Chair of ISO/TC 22, at the ISO Annual Meeting in Paris, France, on 1 October 2026.
Evolving with the industry, driven by principles
The committee experts share a commitment to ensuring that their standards evolve with the sector they serve. Alongside long-established areas such as vehicle performance and safety, they address issues, from cybersecurity to ergonomics, sustainability to digitization, that are no longer confined to the automotive industry but common across sectors and borders.
Keeping pace has required more than introducing new subjects. The committee itself has had to adapt, reshaping its structure, drawing on expertise from a growing range of disciplines and defining the key goals that guide the development of its standards.
Our responsibility is to make sure that the standards supporting road vehicles remain guided by four enduring priorities: protecting people, enabling credible climate action, supporting innovation and building trust.
As Fabien Duboc puts it, “We cannot predict what a road vehicle will look like several decades from now. Our responsibility is to make sure that, whatever form it takes, the standards supporting it remain guided by four enduring priorities: protecting people, enabling credible climate action, supporting innovation and building trust.”
By consistently applying these principles and reflecting the changing face of both the mobility sector and the broader world, Fabien Duboc and our road vehicles experts are helping to give society the confidence to embrace change and help steer mobility towards a cleaner, safer future.