Since the start of July, new vehicles purchased in the European Union must possess a number of obligatory safety features, including speed adapters, black boxes and drowsiness detectors.
Following laws adopted back in 2019, the European Parliament is making good on its promise to enhance road safety on the continent. The new rules, which came into force on 6th July, stipulate a number of changes cars coming off the assembly line this year must follow in order to be in compliance.
The list of safety components includes practical features such as intelligent speed adaptation system (ISA), an interface to allow the installation of a breathalyser, driver drowsiness and loss of attention warning systems, advanced driver distraction warning systems, emergency stop signals, reversing detection systems and precise tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).
Additionally, and perhaps most controversially, is the mandatory installation of event data recorders (EDRs), known colloquially as black boxes. These boxes, which contain electronic chips, are designed to assist investigators in determining the circumstances of an accident by collecting data that can withstand crashes, flooding and fire.
The information recorded includes the vehicle’s speed, acceleration and braking patterns, seat belt usage by occupants, indicator signals and the force of impact during a collision. Importantly, no personal information about the driver or passengers, such as conversations inside the vehicle, is stored. Furthermore, access to EDR data is restricted to investigators, designated authorities and researchers, as ordered by the EU regulations.
However, some European consumer associations have expressed concerns regarding EDRs, particularly regarding the potential misuse of the data to assign liability and the challenges in maintaining data accuracy over time.
Studies indicate that 95% of road accidents are attributed to human error. The EU anticipates that these new safety measures will save more than 25,000 lives and prevent around 140,000 serious injuries by the year 2038.
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