Advanced Safety features and Tyres for Cars

Publication date: 29 April 2008

The Commission is coming forward with a proposal for a Regulation on the general safety of motor vehicles which will lay down harmonised rules on the construction of motor vehicles. The proposal aims to enhance the safety of vehicles by requiring the mandatory fitting of some advanced safety features, such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems.

In normal driving conditions, ESC can reduce accidents by more than 20 percent while its benefits are even more significant under wet or icy conditions where the accident reduction rate increases to between 30 and 40 percent.

The proposal on safety will also introduce requirements for Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems and Low Rolling Resistance Tyres, which will not only contribute to improving safety but are also part of the integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from cars.

The background:

In February 2007 the European Commission adopted a comprehensive strategy for the European car industry, to keep the manufacturing of motorcars viable on a long term basis, at prices affordable to consumers. The strategy covers a variety of areas, (including for example, reduction of administrative burdens, environmental sustainability, and road safety). The Commission in its Communication on “A Competitive Automotive Regulatory Framework for the 21st Century” welcomed the recommendation from the CARS 21 report to simplify the current whole vehicle type-approval regulatory framework.

The technical requirements for the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to numerous safety and environmental elements have been harmonised at Community level to avoid requirements that differ from one Member State to another, and to ensure a high level of road safety and environmental protection. New technologies now available can dramatically improve vehicle safety (such as ESC) or reduce CO2 emissions (such as low rolling-resistance tyres). Research has shown that there would be significant benefits if such technologies were introduced as standard on new vehicles.

The automotive industry is a major pillar of the European economy, representing 3% of the European GDP and 7% of employment in the manufacturing sector.

The event:

Adoption by the Commission

The sources:
IP/07/157: New Commission strategy for long term viability of European car industry
MEMO/07/47: The EU’s automotive sector: new challenges, responsibilities and opportunities
Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st century:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/competitiveness/cars21.htm

The contacts:
Ton Van Lierop +32 2 296 65 65 ton.van-lierop@ec.europa.eu
Catherine Bunyan: +32 2 299 65 12 catherine.bunyan@ec.europa.eu