13/07/2026
What are your thoughts on the advanced driver assistance systems?
https://www.facebook.com/100044294148060/posts/1576511323835324/
Every new car and van registered in Ireland from this month must come fitted with a camera that watches the driver. The rule took effect on 7 July as part of the EU's latest phase of vehicle safety requirements.
The camera tracks a driver's gaze and head position, sounding an alert if attention drifts from the road for too long.
Newly registered vehicles must also carry emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians and cyclists, improved forward visibility, tougher tyre wear tests and a larger area of safety glass to protect people on foot in a crash.
The rules are not retroactive. Cars already registered and on Irish roads are completely unaffected, and there is no requirement to fit anything to an existing car.
The changes build on rules introduced in 2024. The EU says the goal is to move as close as possible to zero road deaths by 2050.
Safety researchers have welcomed the driver monitoring system
Privacy campaigners are less convinced about a camera pointed at drivers every time they get behind the wheel.
