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On July 7, 2024, a significant step was taken to improve global road safety.
From now on, new vehicles on the European market need to be equipped with technology that detects drowsiness and distraction in drivers.
The regulation behind this mandate, introduced by the European Union, is expected to create a ripple effect, inspiring similar legislation worldwide.
While the reasoning behind the new requirements—to reduce accidents and human injury—is easy enough to understand, the New Vehicle General Safety Regulation (GSR) tends to raise some questions, such as:
➤ What exactly is the GSR, and why is it so impactful?
➤ What are Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW) systems, and how do they differ from Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) systems?
➤ Which vehicles are affected by these new requirements, and when do they take effect?
➤ What’s the difference between the GSR and Euro NCAP?
Read on for a breakdown of what you need to know about the regulation now in force across Europe.
Let’s start from the beginning. The New Vehicle General Safety Regulation (GSR) is a set of rules introduced by the European Union to reduce traffic accidents and enhance safety. As part of a broader EU initiative to make roads safer for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, the GSR mandates that all new cars sold in Europe must include specific advanced safety features.
When the GSR was first introduced in 2009, its focus was on features like electronic stability control and advanced emergency braking systems. However, following the development of new vehicle safety technologies, the European Commission has since published new revisions of the GSR.
Now, the GSR is turning its focus towards the driver.
Distraction and drowsiness can turn the most capable and experienced driver into a serious risk to road safety. To tackle these issues, the GSR now requires the installation of Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW) systems and Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) systems in new vehicles. These technologies monitor the driver’s alertness and issue warnings to prevent potential accidents caused by fatigue or inattention.
By implementing these safety measures, the EU expects to save over 25,000 lives and prevent at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW) systems assess the driver’s alertness by analyzing information from either in-cabin sensors, like those used in Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS), or other vehicle systems, such as steering and lane keeping. If needed, the system then issues a warning to the driver. These warnings can be visual, auditory, or haptic, as long as they successfully prompt the driver to bring their full attention back to the road.
Since drowsiness is more likely to cause accidents at higher speeds, the GSR requires DDAW systems to automatically activate at speeds above 70 km/h. To protect the privacy of drivers, the systems also need to be designed to operate within a closed-loop system and only record data when necessary for the system to function.
An Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) system is designed to identify when a driver becomes distracted from the task of driving. This can include distractions caused by activities such as using mobile devices or interacting with in-car systems.
Relying only on steering or lane keeping data can be too unreliable to effectively detect dangerous levels of driver distraction in time. That’s why an ADDW system typically needs to use sensors and algorithms to analyze the driver’s head and eye movements.
This data is then used to draw conclusions about the driver’s attention levels. If the software determines that the driver is distracted for too long, the system alerts the driver, bringing their attention back to the road.
Similar to the requirements for DDAW systems, the GSR emphasizes the protection of personal data when implementing ADDW systems. The systems need to be able to operate without using sensitive biometric data, such as facial recognition, and may only retain data necessary for its functionality.
The GSR states that all new motor vehicles with four or more wheels, including personal cars, trucks, and buses, on the European market should be equipped with DDAW and ADDW systems no later than July 7, 2026.
However, the full implementation process is divided into a few different stages.
For DDAW Systems:
➤ July 6, 2022: DDAW systems were made mandatory for all new types of vehicles, or new vehicle models, within the EU.
➤ July 7, 2024: the mandate applies to all new vehicles, including older models.
For ADDW Systems:
➤ July 7, 2024: ADDW systems are now required for all new type registered vehicles.
➤ July 7, 2026: ADDW systems become mandatory for all new vehicles on the European market.
Even before the General Safety Regulation put ADDW and DDAW systems on top of the automotive industry’s agenda, technology that detects driver drowsiness and distraction was a hot topic. This was largely due to Euro NCAP, who were early to highlight the importance of driver-focused safety technologies.
Euro NCAP is one of the world’s most established safety rating organizations. Millions of people look to Euro NCAP’s safety ratings when deciding which car to buy, giving them undeniable influence on everything from new vehicle design to consumer behavior.
To learn more about Euro NCAP and how they assess driver monitoring systems, make sure to download our eBook.
So, if Euro NCAP’s latest assessment protocol, implemented in early 2023, has already made distraction and drowsiness detection a must-have feature in new car models, what impact can the GSR be expected to have on the adoption of these technologies?
Well, the main difference is that Euro NCAP’s assessment protocol is ultimately a car rating method, while the GSR is legislation determined by the EU. The GSR is mandating, while Euro NCAP’s requirements are technically voluntary. However, the safety rating given to a car model by Euro NCAP can be a very powerful indicator of the car’s success.
For more information about how the GSR and Euro NCAP’s demands differ when it comes to the technology itself, check out our blog on the subject.
The technology mandated by the GSR holds immense potential for improving road safety. With DDAW and ADDW systems mandated as of July 7, 2024, all vehicle manufacturers and the entire automotive industry in Europe will be affected. However, the details can sometimes be complex, and a deep understanding of the regulation requires time and effort.
To help navigate these changes, Smart Eye will be diving deep into automotive regulation and legislation over the next few months – summarizing the most important information and offering various perspectives.
Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X – or sign up for our monthly newsletter – to stay up to date.
To learn more about the requirements for DDAW and ADDW systems in new vehicles, find more detailed information on the European Commission’s website and through EUR-Lex (documents 32021R1341 and 32019R2144).
