Advanced safety tech to be standard
The General Safety Regulation (GSR) package includes versions of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and intelligent speed assistance (ISA) to be applied in phases for new models. AEB and ISA are life-saving crash avoidance systems for which the Stop the Crash Partnership has campaigned since its launch in 2015 at the UN’s High Level Road Safety conference in Brasilia.
“25,300 people lost their lives on EU roads last year. Following an extensive consultation process, this long overdue proposal to upgrade vehicle safety regulations is to be warmly welcomed, accelerating the fitment of life-saving vehicle technology designed to protect the most vulnerable of road users," said David Ward, Secretary General of Global NCAP and Chairman of the Stop the Crash Partnership.
“AEB and ISA are proven technologies which will contribute significantly to the EU’s newly proposed target to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. We strongly encourage Member States and the European Parliament to adopt the life saving package as quickly as possible.”
David Davies, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), said “Safety should be fitted as standard, not optional. These proposals by the EC would be a major step forward in Global NCAP and the Stop the Crash Partnership warmly welcome today’s European Commission announcement of proposals for the introduction of new road safety measures, some of the most significant in the last 20 years.
Matthew Avery, Director of Research at Thatcham Research, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in vehicle safety and security said, “We fully support these recommendations by the European Commission, especially when it has been proven that technologies such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) can save lives. However, it is up to the UK Government and car makers not to place any blockers on making these technologies mandatory on all UK cars and vans as soon as possible. Seatbelts are mandatory as they save lives. So should AEB."European vehicle safety regulations. PACTS is calling on the UK Government to support them and to press for their rapid implementation.”
The 11 systems becoming mandatory in 2021:
- Advanced emergency braking
- Alcohol interlock installation facilitation
- Drowsiness and attention detection
- Event (accident) data recorder
- Emergency stop signal
- Full-width frontal occupant protection crash test - improved seatbelts
- Head impact zone enlargement for pedestrians and cyclists - safety glass in case of crash
- Intelligent speed assistance
- Lane keeping assist
- Pole side-impact occupant protection
- Reversing camera or detection system
