EU Mandates Driver Monitoring Cameras in New Cars
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EU Mandates Driver Monitoring Cameras in New Cars
- As of July 7, 2026, all new vehicles registered in the European Union are required to include advanced driver distraction and drowsiness warning systems, often utilizing cameras to monitor the driver's attention.
- This regulation is part of the EU's broader General Safety Regulation (GSR), introduced in phases since 2022, with the goal of significantly reducing road fatalities by 2050.
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Starting July 7, 2026, new cars and vans sold and registered in the European Union must be equipped with Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) systems. These systems typically use cameras to monitor the driver’s head position and eye movements to detect signs of distraction or drowsiness. If the system detects that a driver’s attention is not on the road for too long, it will issue an alert.
This mandate is part of the European Union’s comprehensive General Safety Regulation (GSR), which aims to enhance road safety and move towards “Vision Zero,” a long-term goal of nearly zero fatalities in road transport by 2050. The GSR has been implemented in phases, with certain safety features becoming mandatory for new vehicle types since July 2022 and for all newly registered vehicles from July 2024. The July 2026 update expands these requirements to include the camera-based driver monitoring systems.
Beyond driver monitoring, the updated regulations also mandate other safety features for new vehicles, such as advanced emergency braking systems that can detect pedestrians and cyclists, improved forward visibility, and enhanced safety glass areas for pedestrian protection. While proponents emphasize the potential for these technologies to save lives by addressing driver fatigue and distraction, which contribute to a significant percentage of road accidents, some critics have raised concerns regarding data privacy. EU rules stipulate that these systems must operate on a closed-loop basis, meaning data should only be recorded and retained