EU will require all new cars to be fitted with speed-limiting technology by 2022

A raft of safety technologies that could help reduce injuries on the streets , including speed-limiting systems, will become mandatory in all new European cars.

Provisional political arrangement was agreed this week about the proposals, which also include nausea and distraction monitoring, as well as lane-keeping aid.

“Many of the new features already exist, in particular in high-end vehicles. Now we raise the safety level across the board, and pave the way for connected and automated mobility of the future,” said European Commission (EC) commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska.

ISA technology will limit vehicle speed

The measure expected to have the biggest impact on reducing car fatalities and injuries is Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology, which limits the rate at which a vehicle can travel. Non-profit organisation the European Transport Safety Council said that ISA is expected to reduce collisions by 30 percent and deaths by 20 percent.

Speed-limiting technology automatically limits the engine power to prevent the vehicle from accelerating past a particular speed. However, the driver can override the limitation, for instance, if they need to overtake another vehicle at speed.

A video camera that recognises speed-limit signals works with GPS-linked speed limit data to tell drivers how fast they’re travelling, and enacts a system that actively limits the vehicle’s speed.

Measures require further approval

The 15 road safety measures will require formal agreement by the European Parliament and Council before they are implemented.

If they are passed, a digital data recorder like the black box located on aircraft will become mandatory for automobiles, vans, trucks and buses. Advanced emergency braking, and enhanced safety belts will become a feature of new European cars and vans.

Trucks and buses will be required to implement systems to eliminate blind spots when making turns, and install systems at the front and side of the vehicle to detect and warn of vulnerable road users.

25,000 lives anticipated to be saved

The Commission anticipates that the proposed measures will save over 25,000 lives and prevent at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038. This will contribute to the objective of attaining zero deaths or severe injuries on Europe’s streets by 2050.

“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,” said Bieńkowska.

“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.”

Proposals will apply to UK despite Brexit

The UK Department for Transport has confirmed that the measures will apply in the UK, despite its impending departure from the EU.

“These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK,” said the Department for Transport.

“ISA systems are expected to give drivers feedback when the speed limit is exceeded rather than limiting the speed, much like satellite navigation does now.”

Smooths the way to autonomous vehicles

As well as reducing road accidents, it is estimated that the measure will help road users become accustomed to self-driving cars.

“Increasing degrees of automation offer significant potential to compensate for human errors and offer new mobility solutions for the elderly and physically impaired,” said the European Commission.

“All this should enhance public trust and acceptance of automated cars, supporting the transition towards autonomous driving.”

Autonomous cars and other vehicles are expected to become prevalent on streets in the next few years.

Muji’s driverless bus took to the streets of Helsinki earlier this month, whilst last year Jaguar Land Rover looked at how to make the public used to watching driverless cars on the streets with an anthropomorphic concept car with eyes that communicate with pedestrians to let them know it’s safe to cross.

The security of autonomous automobiles was called into question this past year, following the departure of an Apple employee who was killed when struck with a Tesla functioning in self-driving mode.

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