EU Implements New Driver Safety Regulations
The European Union has announced its plan to enhance driver safety by enforcing new safety protocols focused on emergency detection and addressing distracted driving.
The proposed implementation of these measures may not sit well with many drivers.
In a recent article titled ‘Safer cars, safer roads: new rules come into force’, the EU revealed that starting July 7, all newly registered cars and vans must be equipped with new ‘lifesaving systems.’
These systems will feature expanded safety glass, a new assessment for tire wear, emergency braking detection, and most significantly, an “advanced driver distraction warning system” intended to keep drivers attentive.
Official EU documents specify that these ADDW systems must continuously monitor the driver’s line of sight.
According to the documentation, “the ADDW system will monitor the driver’s line of sight in specified areas.” While they do not clarify the number or placement of cameras, these rules outline areas that are deemed “distracting” for drivers, which include the driver’s knees, center console, and behind the driver’s seat.
On the other hand, areas considered permissible include the entire windshield and the passenger window.
The amount of time a driver can avert their gaze towards these distracting areas varies based on speed. For instance, at speeds between 20 km/h and 50 km/h (12 mph and 31 mph), a warning will activate if the driver’s line of sight remains within a designated “distracting” area for over six seconds. That’s noted in sources like InterRegs.
At speeds higher than 50 km/h, the driver can look away for only 3.5 seconds. If that threshold is breached, “a visual warning shall be given and the driver notified. Acoustic and/or tactile alerts may also be employed.”
The rules indicate that warnings can “cascade and intensify” until something triggers a specific condition. However, the documentation does not mention any form of vehicle intervention or an emergency shutdown feature if the driver fails to heed the warnings.
This discussion echoes sentiments from earlier this year when Republicans in the U.S. opposed similar technologies, including passive and active monitoring tools that could potentially use artificial intelligence.
Among the proposed technologies are infrared cameras that track eye movements and allow for breath sensors to assess blood alcohol concentration.
Other methods under consideration include touch sensors that detect alcohol through the skin of the fingers and palms.
The EU emphasizes that this new system must function “without utilizing the biometric personal data of vehicle occupants.” This means no capturing of personal traits that could identify individuals, such as facial images.
“This requirement permits ADDW systems to utilize data from in-vehicle cameras, while still prohibiting the identification of individual drivers,” it states.
