New car technology to save lives on roads

European Parliament approves rules to introduce a number of advanced safety features for cars and trucks to prevent accidents

“We can use the possibilities offered by new advances in technology to have future cars fitted with high-tech safety features to save lives on EU roads. Our focus is the safety of road users, especially unprotected ones. This law deals in the most direct sense with life and death”, said EPP Group Member Róża Thun, who negotiated the rules on behalf of the European Parliament.

From May 2022 for new models and from May 2024 for existing models, cars must be equipped with more life-saving technology. The new rules will introduce about 30 life-saving technologies. “For the better protection of people in traffic, we want every car to have the important safety features such as an advanced driver distraction warning, an automatic emergency braking system, an emergency stop signal and intelligent speed assistance (ISA)."

Thun firmly rejects statements made by some media outlets that the new rules introduce a speed limit in cars. “This Intelligent Speed Assistance system will provide a driver with feedback, based on maps and road sign observation, whenever the speed limit is exceeded. We are not introducing a speed limiter, but an intelligent system that will make drivers fully aware when they are speeding. This will not only make us all safer, but will also help drivers avoid getting speeding tickets“, said Róża Thun.

For big vehicles like trucks and buses that often cannot see a pedestrian or a cyclist because of a blind spot in front of the driver and on the side, the new rules foresee design changes to give the driver so-called direct vision.

“The EPP Group has always supported innovation and these new rules are definitely a step towards the future as they pave the way for the development of fully automated cars”, said Thun.

“About 95% of all road traffic accidents are caused by human error. With these new rules, we can prevent them and save lives with the help of technology”, she concluded.