AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Safety
The European Commission’s work on motor vehicle safety deals with the safety of drivers, passengers, and especially children in vehicles. It also focuses on road safety for pedestrians. The work covers light-duty (cars, vans) and heavy-duty vehicles (buses, coaches, and trucks).
Motor vehicle safetyEurope realised a major step forward in vehicle safety on 1 November 2014 with new safety features becoming mandatory for every new car, van, truck, and bus sold in the EU thanks to the General Safety Regulation (EC) No 661/2009.
In addition to standard electronic stability control systems, all new cars sold in the EU must be equipped with new safety features, such as driver seatbelt reminders, ISOFIX child seat anchorages or tyre pressure monitoring systems. A gear shift indicator and the tyre pressure monitoring system will also help drivers use less fuel.
From 1 November 2015, all new trucks and buses must also be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems as well as lane departure warning systems.
Protection of pedestriansThe Pedestrian Protection Regulation (EC) 78/2009 was adopted in 2009. The regulation aims to protect pedestrians involved in a collision with a vehicle. It requires manufacturers to fit Brake Assist Systems into their vehicles to reduce the stopping distance and lower the speed of impact. It also requires them to make energy absorbing bonnets and front bumpers.
Vehicle safety - next stepsThe Commission will monitor technical developments in enhanced passive safety requirements and consider possible inclusion of new safety features and enhanced active safety technologies. The Commission will report on the latest developments to the European Parliament and the Council in an envisaged Communication.
The Communication will be based on the Final report: Benefit and feasibility of a range of new technologies and unregulated measures in the field of vehicle occupant safety and protection of vulnerable road users, published in March 2015. The report presents a cost-benefit analysis of specific measures that have potential to improve vehicle safety in the EU.
Protection of childrenEU laws require that seatbelts in vehicles must be used by all passengers and that approved Child Restraint Systems have to be used when children are on board. Approved Child Restraint Systems must meet the stringent safety requirements laid down by UNECE Regulation No 44 for conventional seatbelt mounted or ISOFIX child seats. For i-Size compliant child seats, they must meet UNECE Regulation No 129.
Motor vehicle safetyEurope realised a major step forward in vehicle safety on 1 November 2014 with new safety features becoming mandatory for every new car, van, truck, and bus sold in the EU thanks to the General Safety Regulation (EC) No 661/2009.
In addition to standard electronic stability control systems, all new cars sold in the EU must be equipped with new safety features, such as driver seatbelt reminders, ISOFIX child seat anchorages or tyre pressure monitoring systems. A gear shift indicator and the tyre pressure monitoring system will also help drivers use less fuel.
From 1 November 2015, all new trucks and buses must also be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems as well as lane departure warning systems.
Protection of pedestriansThe Pedestrian Protection Regulation (EC) 78/2009 was adopted in 2009. The regulation aims to protect pedestrians involved in a collision with a vehicle. It requires manufacturers to fit Brake Assist Systems into their vehicles to reduce the stopping distance and lower the speed of impact. It also requires them to make energy absorbing bonnets and front bumpers.
Vehicle safety - next stepsThe Commission will monitor technical developments in enhanced passive safety requirements and consider possible inclusion of new safety features and enhanced active safety technologies. The Commission will report on the latest developments to the European Parliament and the Council in an envisaged Communication.
The Communication will be based on the Final report: Benefit and feasibility of a range of new technologies and unregulated measures in the field of vehicle occupant safety and protection of vulnerable road users, published in March 2015. The report presents a cost-benefit analysis of specific measures that have potential to improve vehicle safety in the EU.
- Final report: Benefit and feasibility of a range of new technologies and unregulated measures in the field of vehicle occupant safety and protection of vulnerable road users (March 2015)
- General Safety Regulation: Possible Way Forward in 2015 - Presentation made at the "The Future of Road Safety" debate (17.03.2015)
- Regulation concerning type-approval requirements for the deployment of the eCall in-vehicle system based on the 112 service and amending Directive 2007/46/EC(making the vehicle fit for eCall)
- Decision on the deployment of the interoperable EU-wide eCall service (making the public infrastructure fit for eCall)
Protection of childrenEU laws require that seatbelts in vehicles must be used by all passengers and that approved Child Restraint Systems have to be used when children are on board. Approved Child Restraint Systems must meet the stringent safety requirements laid down by UNECE Regulation No 44 for conventional seatbelt mounted or ISOFIX child seats. For i-Size compliant child seats, they must meet UNECE Regulation No 129.
- Final report: Child safety: Q-Series crash test dummy family regulatory application assessment (January 2015)
- Final report: New UN regulation on child restraint systems - assessment of amendments to the new regulation, front and side impact procedures and Q-Series dummy family injury criteria (8 MB) (July 2014)
- Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 on the general safety of motor vehicles;
- Regulation (EC) No 78/2009 on the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users;
- UNECE Regulation No. 44 on the Child Restraint Systems;
- UNECE Regulation No. 129 on the Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles (ECRS).