From 2022, all new cars, vans, lorries and buses sold in Europe will be fitted with a range of lifesaving vehicle safety features, according to a provisional agreement between EU institutions.
Vehicle manufacturers will be required to fit technology that helps prevent crashes, such as autonomous emergency braking and intelligent speed assistance, in all new vehicles as standard. A new ‘direct vision’ standard will enable lorry and bus drivers to have a better view of other road users around their vehicle.
Commenting, Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake, said: “This is a landmark day for road safety. These measures will provide the biggest leap forward for road safety this century, perhaps even since the introduction of the seat belt. These lifesaving measures come at a vital time, with road safety in a concerning period of stagnation.”
The standards still need formal approval from the European Parliament and EU Member States.
Find out more: A list of the lifesaving technologies that will soon be fitted as standard in the EU is available here.