All New Cars To Be Fitted With Breathalysers And Speed Limiters From 2022

Breathalyser, Road Safety, Speed Limiter, Speeding

Following a decision by the European Council all new cars from 2022 onward will have to be fitted with a built-in breathalyser and speed limiting equipment, in addition to other road safety systems.

In March of this year the European Council voted to introduce legislation to cut the volume of deadly accidents involving drunk drivers. This provisional approval has been rubber stamped, which means that it will be passed into law.

The ruling requires vehicle manufacturers to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA), autonomous emergency braking, data loggers and driver drowsiness warning systems.

From 2022 all new vehicles will be required by law to have this technology in-built. Vehicles already on the road will have to implement this equipment by 2024.

The Government has stated that it will mirror European road safety rules, irrespective of Brexit circumstances, which suggests that the UK will adopt this legislation.

Timo Harakka, a member of the European Council said: "These new rules will help us to reduce significantly the number of fatalities and severe injuries."

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said introducing this legislation could help cut collisions by 30 per cent and save the lives of 25,000 EU citizens over the next 15 years.

Rubber stamping this proposal has been met with mixed responses within the automotive industry.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: "IAM RoadSmart welcomed these proposals earlier this year so it is great to see they will actually happen.

"Speed limiters will still be voluntary so you don’t have to use them but they could save your licence.

"Although all new cars from 2022 will be enabled to have an alcolock it will be up to the UK government to decide how they are used. We see them as a useful tool for repeat drink drive offenders to get them back to safe driving after a ban. It is very unlikely that the vast majority of the law abiding public will ever have to blow in a tube to start their car.”

Joshua Harris, campaigns director at road safety charity Brake said: “Drink-driving and speeding are a scourge on our roads and the cause of devastating crashes every day.

“It’s fantastic to hear that alcohol interlock compatibility and speed limiting technology will soon be mandatory.”

AA President Edmund King however has reservations regarding the influx of technology that can be accessed behind the wheel, increasing our reliance upon these systems: “Advisory intelligent speed assistance can help drivers keep their eyes on the road rather than constantly checking their speedo.

“Drivers sticking religiously to the speed limit still face the threat of smartphone zombies and other unwary road users stepping out in front of them or drunk or distracted drivers crashing into them.

“Technology will play a part but drivers should not rely solely on computers and cameras to drive their cars for them. Until fully autonomous vehicles are on the roads, drivers must keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.”

What are your thoughts on this latest development? A significant in-road to improve road safety and reduce the number of deaths from drunk driving or a step too far? Let us know your thoughts on our Facebook Page.

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