The European Union has tightened the noose around the technological equipment of new vehicles, dramatically expanding the list of mandatory safety systems. From now on, every brand new passenger car or van that sets foot on the asphalt must have high-tech “senses“. These include artificial intelligence for automatic emergency braking, which instantly recognizes not only other vehicles, but also vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists, as well as an alert electronic guard against driver distraction.
This major change marks the next decisive phase of the European General Safety Regulation. Euro NCAP and the European Commission are adamant that the new wave of technologies has a single mission - to erect an invisible shield around all road users. The package of mandatory assistants now includes intelligent lane keeping, low-wear tire control systems, improved windshield impact protection and revolutionary radars for avoiding collisions with cyclists and pedestrians.
The spotlight is also on smart cameras that monitor behavior behind the wheel. When fatigue or a phone distracts a person, the system immediately sounds the alarm. To calm skeptics, European lawmakers explicitly emphasize that these technologies will not become “Big Brother“ – the devices are not allowed to record, store or archive personal data, and all information is automatically deleted the second after processing.
It is important to note that the new reality does not affect future models that are still being developed, but is a direct filter for the market here and now. Any car without these assistants already receives a red card – its registration, sale and commissioning in the Community territory become absolutely illegal. For car factories, this means a lightning-fast transfer of previously expensive extras to the column of standard equipment.
For end buyers, however, the coin has two sides. While safety soars to the skies, wallets will be lighter. The changes will inevitably reflect on the final prices of cars, the levels of basic equipment and subsequent maintenance. Repairs after a minor impact will now require precise and expensive calibration of sensors, radars and cameras. The wave of changes will quickly flood the second-hand markets, where the import of more affordable, but unequipped cars from the EU will be seriously reformatted.