Photo © little.eagle – Fotolia
(BRUSSELS) – Safety features such as speed limiters and advanced emergency-braking systems would need to be installed in new vehicles from May 2022, under Tuesday’s provisional agreement by the EU institutions.
The new rules will require almost 30 different features or systems to be introduced in new vehicles of different types. The majority of technologies will become obligatory in May 2022 for new models (cars which haven’t been designed yet) and from May 2024 for existing models.
The Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) system could reduce fatalities on EU roads by 20%, according to estimates. “ISA will provide a driver with feedback, based on maps and road sign observation, always when speed limit is exceeded. This will not only make all of us safer, but also help drivers to avoid speeding tickets”, Ms Thun said.
The other advanced life-saving systems to be introduced in new vehicles include: automated emergency breaking, advanced driver distraction warning, emergency lane keeping, reversing detection system, alcohol interlock installation facilitation and emergency stop signal.
The agreement was welcomed by the European Commission. “Every year, 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads. The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error,” said Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska: “We can and must act to change this. With the new advanced safety features that will become mandatory, we can have the same kind of impact as when the safety belts were first introduced. Many of the new features already exist, in particular in highend vehicles. Now we raise the safety level across the board, and pave the way for connected and automated mobility of the future.”
At Parliament’s request, all vehicles will be equipped with Event Data Recorders, which will store critical crash-related data a few seconds before a crash. These will provide crucial information for accident analysis and for reducing accidents in the future.
The new rules also improve passive safety requirements, including crash tests (front and side), as well as windscreens to mitigate the severity of injuries for pedestrians and cyclists. Type-approval of tyres will also be improved to test worn tyres.
Trucks and buses will have to be designed and built to make vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, more visible to the driver (so-called “direct vision”). All big vehicles will also be equipped with advanced features, such as pedestrian and cyclist collision warning and blind spot information system. Direct vision technology should be applied as from November 2025.
The provisional agreement still needs to be confirmed by member states’ ambassadors (Coreper) and, on 2 April, by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee. It will then be put to the full Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers for final approval. would need to be installed in new vehicles from May 2022, under Tuesday’s provisional agreement by the EU institutions.
