The European Union has announced draft new rules, provisionally agreed by member states that will mean new safety technology will be mandatory on new vehicles sold in Europe from 2022 onwards. The headline measure in the package is intelligent speed assistance a form of technology that could limit cars to the legal speed limits in designated areas.

Other suggested measures designed to reduce road deaths include the mandatory use of advanced emergency braking, devices to alert in cases of driver drowsiness and distraction and lane-keeping assistance, as well as legislation to make it easier to retrofit alcohol interlock devices and reduce commercial vehicle blind spots. 

EU Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska commented, “Every year, 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads. The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error. 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 safety belts were first introduced.”

The commission anticipates that the plans could help save more than 25,000 lives and avoid at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
The most controversial measure is the introduction of Intelligent Speed Assistance systems on all cars. This would, for example restrict a vehicle’s speed in a built-up area through use of a limiter linked to a satellite tracker, although it is thought that the system would have an override facility. Some observers believe this is a set too far in removing driver control and in some instances could add to danger.

The provisional agreement which has been reached will now need to be fleshed out with greater detail and is subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and Council. If approved, the rules would come into force in 2022.