Abstract: A vehicle door latch assembly including a pivotally mounted latch claw (10) having a mouth operatively co-acting with a striker as the door nears its closed position, a latching pawl (16) self-engaging with the claw to hold it in a latched condition retaining the door, and unlatching means selectively operable to disengage the latching pawl for opening the door: characterised in that the unlatching means comprises a pawl lifter (20) movable from a position of rest to carry the latching pawl out of engagement with the claw, a power output member (24) movable to engage and displace the pawl lifter from said position of rest, an input member (30) power actuated between first and second positions, clutch means (28,32) releasably drive connecting the input member to the output member to cause shifting of the latter as the input member moves to its second position, and an overriding element (36) carrying the clutch means into and out of drive connection, said overriding element being operatively coupled to the pawl