July 2024 signifies an important cornerstone in the automotive industry. It marks the beginning of the General Safety Regulations (GSR) for all vehicle registrations.
The GSR was adopted by the European Union (EU) to minimize traffic accidents caused by human factors. According to the European Commission (EC), up to 50% of all accidents in Europe are fatigue or distraction related. By preventing the deterioration of the driver’s state, many accidents can be avoided, and the EC estimates the new regulations to save more than 25,000 lives by 2038.
The General Safety Regulations
The GSR contains eleven active safety technologies that will become mandatory in four steps: 2022, 2024, 2026 and 2029. A large batch of eight regulations are set to become mandatory in July 2024 for all vehicles produced and sold in Europe.
These are:
- Emergency stop signal,
- Reversing information,
- Tire pressure monitoring system,
- Intelligent speed assistance,
- Blind spot information system,
- Moving off information system,
- Alcohol interlock installation facilitation,
- Driver drowsiness and attention warning
Although Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) is set to be mandatory in 2026, this is the case for vehicle models that have already received type approval. For brand-new vehicle models being introduced to the market after July 2024 it is already mandatory.
While some of these features are widely known to the public, some features are rather new to drivers; for instance, Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) and Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW). ADDW is related to driver distraction and alerts when the driver is not paying attention to the road ahead. On the other hand, DDAW is related to fatigue and alerts drivers who show signs of drowsiness while driving.
Driver Monitoring Systems
One important implication of the adoption of GSR is the addition of driver monitoring systems (DMS). To fulfill the requirements, especially regarding ADDW and DDAW, it is necessary for vehicle manufacturers to integrate DMS into their vehicles. These are usually camera-based systems that observe the driver’s state and send necessary alerts to inform the driver when they are getting drowsy or distracted. A constant stream of images is analyzed by algorithms embedded in the vehicle, events that are outside of the given threshold are recognized and warnings are sent to the driver via the HMI. Examples include warnings of distraction and drowsiness.
This has been a major topic in the automotive industry, which sped up the adoption process of DMS. A high level of safety baseline has been set and thus competition has shifted towards differentiation through various extra features required by vehicle manufacturers. This fueled innovation in the in-cabin industry and heated competition between in- cabin analysis providers.
Public Adoption and Data Protection
In the public arena, the main concern is about privacy. It is critical to be transparent about the process of DMS to ease the adoption by the consumers. Nowadays, most DMS systems are primarily camera-based, and record and analyze the stream inside the vehicle, making sure that the data never leaves the vehicle. Moreover, the recordings become obsolete after the analysis, meaning they are not stored anywhere. Within the EU, there are strict data privacy laws and regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that protect the rights of consumers. In the case other countries and regions follow mandatory practices similar to GSR, it is important to support these with privacy and data protection regulations such as GDPR.
Conclusion
All in all, this July is significant for all players in the automotive industry as well as the public. Consumers expect regulatory bodies to protect and increase their safety by mandating safety regulations such as the GSR while vehicle manufacturers must find ways to adapt and improve their products to not only incorporate these regulations but also differentiate their offerings from their competitors.