Andy Burnham has been urged to intervene over a European Union road rule that mandates advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in new cars. A motoring journalist has called for the Prime Minister to find a way to overrule the regulation, which he describes as "silly" and potentially unsafe.
The rule, made compulsory by the EU for all cars in the bloc from July 2024, requires manufacturers to fit safety tech such as lane-keeping assist, autonomous braking, and speed limit warnings as standard. The journalist, Luke Chillingsworth, argues that while these features are not bad ideas, some are overly sensitive and could cause accidents.
Concerns over ADAS sensitivity
Chillingsworth recounts a recent incident where an ADAS brake tool detected a potential collision as he pulled into a roundabout, even though the car in front was well over a vehicle's distance away. The car braked automatically, almost coming to a complete standstill, and he was thrown forward. He questions whether the technology considers the knock-on effect of sudden deceleration on vehicles behind.
He also highlights issues in urban 20mph streets, where front auto-brake detectors constantly point out legally parked cars, causing distracting beeping sounds. He argues the tool must distinguish between a parked car on the side of the street and motorway traffic.
Limited power to change
Despite his dream request for Burnham to take action, Chillingsworth acknowledges that the Prime Minister cannot actually do anything. ADAS tools are not mandatory in the UK. Car manufacturers still include them as standard equipment because it is cheaper to build one vehicle across the whole EU market than to strip out the tech for one country.
In the UK, car brands are choosing to fit these tools. The journalist suggests that, ideally, manufacturers would review and tone down the sensitivity of ADAS features, potentially introducing a one-button deactivation on the steering wheel or allowing drivers to permanently turn them off under certain speeds.
