New Legal Requirement in Cars – More Safety Systems Become Mandatory

In July, new EU requirements come into force stipulating that all new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles registered within the union must be equipped with additional advanced safety systems. The aim is to reduce the number of fatal accidents and serious traffic injuries, but the change has at the same time sparked criticism from several quarters.

The regulations are part of the EU’s updated safety regulation for motor vehicles and include a range of so-called ADAS systems (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). Several of these features already exist in many newer car models, but as of July 7, they will also be mandatory for vehicles registered for the first time after that date.

Among the new requirements is a more advanced system designed to detect if the driver is distracted or about to fall asleep at the wheel. Using cameras and sensors, things like gaze direction and head movement are monitored. If the system determines that the driver is no longer attentive, a warning is to be issued.

The automatic emergency brake is also subject to stricter requirements. The system must not only be able to detect other vehicles, but also pedestrians and cyclists to a greater extent than before, in order to reduce the risk of serious accidents in urban areas and on rural roads.

The new rules build on the EU’s extensive overhaul of vehicle legislation. As early as 2022, several safety systems became mandatory for entirely new car models, and from summer 2024 the requirements were expanded to include all newly registered passenger cars within the EU.

Among the systems that have already become standard are intelligent speed assistance, lane keeping assistance, automatic emergency brakes, reversing camera or equivalent technology, driver drowsiness warning, and a so-called “black box” (Event Data Recorder) that logs technical data in the event of an accident. These systems can generally be temporarily disabled by the driver, but are reactivated the next time the car is started.

Expert Voices Criticism

At the same time, some experts question the development. The criticism concerns, among other things, that the increasing number of electronic aids risk distracting drivers instead of improving safety. Warning signals, cameras, and recurring reminders are described by critics as annoying and in certain situations even distracting.

Concerns have also been raised that some systems rely on cameras and digital map data that do not always operate flawlessly. Misread speed signs or unnecessary warnings could, according to critics, cause drivers to lose confidence in the technology.

Proponents, on the other hand, argue that the systems are an important complement to driver attentiveness and can prevent accidents when people make mistakes.

EU’s Goal: Fewer Fatal Accidents

The European Commission believes that the mandatory safety systems can have a significant long-term impact on traffic safety. According to the Commission’s calculations, the rules are expected to help save over 25,000 lives and avoid around 140,000 serious personal injuries up until 2038.

The rules apply only to new vehicles registered after the requirements take effect. Owners of older vehicles do not need to retrofit the new systems.