PURPOSE: to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market by introducing harmonised technical requirements concerning the safety and environmental performance of motor vehicles and their trailers.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, amending Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulations (EC) No 78/2009, (EC) No 79/2009 and (EC) No 661/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and a series of Commission implementing regulations.

CONTENT: over the past decades, developments in vehicle safety have contributed significantly to the overall reduction in the number of road fatalities and severe injuries. However, 25 300 people died in 2017 on Union roads, a figure that has stagnated in the last four years. Moreover, 135 000 people are seriously injured in collisions every year.

Ten years after the adoption of the previous regulation, the new regulation on the general safety of motor vehicles and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users aims to significantly reduce the number of people killed or injured on the roads.

The Regulation updates the existing rules on vehicle safety in Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 on general safety and Regulation (EC) No 78/2009 on pedestrian safety. Its main elements are as follows:

Advanced vehicle systems for all categories of motor vehicles

The new Regulation requires all motor vehicles (including trucks, buses, vans and SUVs) to be equipped with the following safety features:

- intelligent speed assistance;

- alcohol interlock installation facilitation;

- driver drowsiness and attention warning;

- advanced driver distraction warning;

- emergency stop signal;

- reversing detection; and

- event data recorder.

Safety systems shall function without the use of any kind of biometric information of drivers or passengers, including facial recognition. They shall not record or permanently store any data other than what is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

It should be possible to switch off the intelligent speed assistance, for example when a driver notices false warnings or inappropriate feedback as a result of inclement weather conditions, temporarily contradictory road markings in construction areas, or misleading road signs.

In addition, data recorders must be capable of recording and storing data in such a way that they can be used by Member States solely for the purpose of conducting road safety analyses, without allowing the owner or keeper of a given vehicle to be identified from the stored data.

Specific requirements for cars and vans

These should be equipped with:

- advanced emergency braking systems designed and installed in two phases and allowing: (i) the detection of obstacles and moving vehicles in front of the motor vehicle in the first phase; and (ii) the extension of the detection capability to also include pedestrians and cyclists in front of the motor vehicle in the second phase;

- emergency lane keeping systems;

- enlarged head impact protection zones, which are capable of mitigating injuries to vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, in the event of a collision.

Buses and trucks

In addition to the general requirements and existing systems (such as lane departure warning and advanced emergency braking systems), trucks and buses shall:

- be equipped with advanced systems capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists in close proximity to the nearside of the vehicle and of warning of their presence or avoiding a collision with these vulnerable road users;

- be so constructed as to enhance the direct visibility of vulnerable road users from the driver seat, by reducing to the greatest possible extent the blind spots in front of and to the side of the driver.

The Regulation empowers the Commission to adopt specific implementing acts for the safety of hydrogen powered and automated vehicles in the light of future technical developments.

Review and report

Not later than 7 July 2027 and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall present an evaluation report on the results of the safety measures and systems, including their penetration rates. If appropriate, this report shall be accompanied by recommendations, including a legislative proposal with a view to further reducing or eliminating accidents and injuries in road transport.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 5.1.2020.

APPLICATION: from 6.7.2022.

The European Parliament adopted by 578 votes to 30, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, amending Regulation (EU) 2018/.... and repealing Regulations (EC) No 78/2009, (EC) No 79/2009 and (EC) No 661/2009.

The European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission's proposal.

Improving vehicle and road safety

The proposed Regulation seeks to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market by introducing harmonised technical requirements concerning the safety and environmental performance of motor vehicles and their trailers. The amended text recalls that 25 300 people lost their lives on EU roads in 2017 and that 135 000 people are seriously injured each year in collisions.

Advanced vehicle systems for all categories of motor vehicles

Motor vehicles shall be equipped with the following advanced vehicle systems: (i) intelligent speed assistance; (ii) alcohol interlock installation facilitation; (iii) driver drowsiness and attention warning; (iv) advanced driver distraction warning; (v) emergency stop signal; (vi) reversing detection; (vii) event data recorder.

Intelligent speed assistance systems shall have the following minimum specifications:

- it shall be possible for the driver to be made aware through the accelerator control, or dedicated, appropriate and effective feedback, that the applicable speed limit is exceeded;

- it shall be possible to switch off the system. Information about the speed limit may still be provided, and the intelligent speed assistance system shall be in normal operation mode upon each activation of the vehicle master control switch;

- the dedicated and appropriate feedback shall be based on speed limit information obtained through observation of road signs and signals, based on infrastructure signals or electronic map data, or both, made available in-vehicle;

- it shall not affect the drivers' possibility to exceed the system’s prompted vehicle speed;

- its performance targets shall be set in order to avoid or minimise the error rate in real driving conditions.

Driver drowsiness and attention warning and advanced driver distraction warning systems

These shall be designed in such a way that those systems do not continuously record nor retain any data other than what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed within the closed-loop system.

Furthermore, that data shall not be accessible or made available to third party at any time and shall be immediately deleted after processing. Those systems shall also be designed to avoid overlap and shall not prompt the driver separately and concurrently or in a confusing manner in case one action triggers both systems.

Event data loggers

An event data recorder shall not be capable of recording and storing the last four digits of the vehicle indicator section of the vehicle identification number or any other information which could allow the individual vehicle itself, its owner or holder, to be identified.

Event data recorders shall meet the following requirements in particular:

- the data that they are capable of recording and storing with respect of the period shortly before, during and immediately after a collision shall include the vehicle's speed, braking, position and tilt of the vehicle on the road, the state and rate of activation of all its safety systems, 112-based eCall in-vehicle system, brake activation and relevant input parameters of the on-board active safety and accident avoidance systems, with high level of accuracy and ensured survivability of data;

- it shall not be possible to deactivate the devices;

- the way in which they are capable of recording and storing data shall be such that: (i) they operate on a closed-loop system; (ii) the data collected is anonymised and protected against manipulation and misuse; (iii) precise vehicle type, version and variant, and in particular the active safety and accident avoidance systems fitted to the vehicle, can be identified;

- the data can be made available to national authorities, on the basis of Union or national law only for the purpose of accident research and analysis, including for the purposes of type approval of systems and components and in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation), over a standardised interface.

Safety features and warnings used in assisting driving should be easily perceived by every driver, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Passenger cars and light commercial vehicles

These shall be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems designed and fitted in two phases and providing for: (i) detection of obstacles and of moving vehicles ahead of the motor vehicle in the first phase; (ii) extending the detection capability to also include pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the motor vehicle in the second phase.

Buses and trucks

These should (i) be equipped with advanced systems capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists located in close proximity to the front or nearside of the vehicle and providing a warning or avoiding collision with such vulnerable road users; (ii) be designed and constructed so as to enhance the direct visibility of vulnerable road users from the driver seat, by reducing to the greatest possible extent the blind spots in front and to the side of the driver.

Review and reports

No later than five years after the date of application of the Regulation and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit an evaluation report on the achievements of safety measures and systems, including their penetration rates and convenience for the user. Where appropriate, this report shall be accompanied by recommendations, including a legislative proposal to amend the requirements as regards general safety and protection and safety of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, in order to reduce or to eliminate the number of accidents and injuries in road transport.

The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection adopted the report by Róża Gräfin von THUN UND HOHENSTEIN (EPP, PL) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, amending Regulation (EU) 2018/.... and repealing Regulations (EC) No 78/2009, (EC) No 79/2009 and (EC) No 661/2009.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission's proposal.

Subject matter

This Regulation specifies and complements Regulation (EU) 2018/858 as regards the general safety of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, and as regards the protection and safety of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.

Definitions

Members sought to clarify the definition of vulnerable road users. It shall mean a road user using a one or multiple-wheel powered vehicle without protective bodywork or a non-motorised road user, such as a cyclist or a pedestrian.

Tyre pressure monitoring systems and tyres

Members proposed to include a new article stipulating that manufacturers shall also ensure that the relevant systems and features are developed in such a way so as to ensure the user acceptance and that motor vehicle's user instructions contain clear and comprehensive information in regard to the functioning of those systems and features.

Advanced vehicle systems for all categories of motor vehicle

Members stressed that driver drowsiness and attention warning and advanced driver distraction warning systems shall be designed in such a way that those systems do not continuously record nor retain any data other than what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed within the closed-loop system. Furthermore, that data shall not be accessible or made available to third party at any time and shall be immediately deleted after processing. Those systems shall also be designed to avoid overlap and shall not prompt the driver separately and concurrently or in a confusing manner in case one action triggers both systems.

Accident recorders

An accident data recorder shall not be capable of recording and storing the last four digits of the vehicle indicator section of the vehicle identification number or any other information which could allow the individual vehicle itself, its owner or holder, to be identified.

Accident data recorders shall meet the following requirements:

- the data that they are capable of recording and storing with respect of the period shortly before, during and immediately after a collision shall include the vehicle's speed, breaking, position and tilt of the vehicle on the road, the state and rate of activation of all its safety systems, 112-based eCall in-vehicle system, brake activation and relevant input parameters of the on-board active safety and accident avoidance systems, with high level of accuracy and ensured survivability of data;

- it shall not be possible to deactivate the devices;

- the way in which they are capable of recording and storing data shall be such that: (i) they operate on a closed-loop system; (ii) the data collected is anonymised and protected against manipulation and misuse; (iii) precise vehicle type, version and variant, and in particular the active safety and accident avoidance systems fitted to the vehicle, can be identified;

- the data can be made available to national authorities over a standardised interface.

Moreover, safety features and warnings used in assisting driving shall be easily perceived by every driver, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Specific requirements relating to buses and truck

Vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3 shall be designed and constructed so as to enhance the direct visibility of vulnerable road users from the driver seat, to remove the blind spots in front of the driver seat and to significantly reduce the blind spots through the side windows. Specificities of different types of vehicles shall be taken into account.

Review and reporting

By four years after the date of application of this Regulation and every three years thereafter, the Commission shall submit an evaluation report on the functioning of all safety measures and systems, including those retrofitted to existing vehicles. Where appropriate, that report shall be accompanied by recommendations, including a legislative proposal to amend the requirements as regards general safety and the protection and safety of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, in order to support the developments towards Vision Zero driving.

PURPOSE: to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market by introducing harmonised technical requirements concerning the safety and environmental performance of motor vehicles and their trailers.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: this initiative is part of the third ‘Europe on the Move’ mobility package which delivers the new industrial policy strategy of September 2017. The aim is to ensure a smooth transition to a safe, clean, connected and automated mobility system and to create an environment where EU companies can produce the best, cleanest and most competitive products.

Road safety is a pan-European issue that is addressed through an integrated approach. Policies are traditionally structured around three pillars: road users (drivers, pedestrians and cyclists), vehicles and infrastructure . Over the past decades, road safety significantly improved. However, progress in the reduction of road fatalities rates has stalled in recent years. A revised framework better adapted to the changes in mobility resulting from societal trends is necessary.

The current proposal addresses the main problem of persistent high number of road accidents that in turn leads to a high number of fatalities and severe injuries and provides measures to increase safety at vehicle level so as to either avoid and lower the number of accidents or lower the severity of un-avoided accidents to limit the number of fatalities and severe injuries. This proposal has to be viewed in close relation with other initiatives such as, for example, the proposal to amend the directive on road infrastructure safety management.

IMPACT ANALYSIS: the preferred choice, namely, the 'Introduction of a full set of safety features boosting innovation' is expected to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries by 24 794 and 140 740 respectively over a period of 16 years. The expected present value benefit amount to EUR 72.8 billion. Road congestion should also be reduced due to avoided collisions. Lastly, a reduction in vehicle emissions and an improvement in air quality should also be achieved.

CONTENT: the proposal for a Regulation aims to introduce harmonised technical requirements concerning the safety and environmental performance of motor vehicles and their trailers. In general, it refers to the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, since both Regulations share a compatible time line for their application.

In particular, the proposal aims to:

extends the scope of the currently applicable requirement to fit passenger cars with a tyre pressure monitoring system to cover all vehicle categories; mandates a range of advanced vehicle safety features for all vehicles (e.g. the intelligent speed assistance; driver drowsiness and attention monitoring/distraction recognition systems; reversing detection; alcohol interlock installation facilitation).

The proposal also lays down specific requirements:

for cars and vans , including a requirement that they be equipped with an event (accident) data recorder and designed and constructed with an enlarged head impact protection zone for vulnerable road users; for frontal protection systems ; for trucks and buses , in particular by requiring them to be equipped with a system for detecting and warning the presence of vulnerable road users in the immediate vicinity of the front and nearside of the vehicle and to be designed and constructed in such a way so as to improve the visibility of vulnerable road users from driver's seat; for hydrogen-powered vehicles : Annex V contains the requirements for the qualification of materials used for hydrogen systems and their components; for automated vehicles : the proposal lays down specific requirements for automated vehicles and, in particular provides a list of areas of safety, for which detailed rules and technical provisions need to be further developed as a basis for the deployment of automated vehicles.

The Commission believes that mandating advanced safety features for vehicles will help the drivers to gradually get accustomed to the new features and will enhance public trust and acceptance in the transition toward autonomous driving.