After sealing the deal with the Romanian Presidency of the
Council on Monday night, Parliament’s
rapporteur Róża Thun (EPP,
PL) said: “This legislation is paving the way to
save thousands of lives in the coming years. Our focus was
always on the safety of road users, especially vulnerable
ones. This regulation deals in the most direct sense with
life and death. It introduces advanced systems that assist
car users, instead of merely informing them. The additional
obligatory equipment for cars, trucks and buses will help
to save people’s lives”.
Vehicles better equipped to prevent
accidents
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.
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. They will
provide crucial information for accident analysis and for
reducing accidents in the future.
Improved crash tests and windscreens
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 safer for cyclists and
pedestrians
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.
Next steps
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.
