New EU regulations, designed to substantially cut down serious injuries and fatalities on roads by stipulating the inclusion of certain Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in fresh vehicular models, will be implemented starting this Sunday.
Irish roads have claimed almost a hundred lives this year, which is an increase of 12 more fatalities than the same timeframe the previous year. Among those who lost their lives, 19 were under 20 years old, and an additional 37 were below 30.
The fundamental purpose of the new law is to lessen the likelihood of accidents by utilising cutting-edge safety mechanisms to safeguard vehicle occupants, pedestrians, cyclists, and other individuals on the roads.
The law mandates the incorporation of various innovations, like fatigue alerts, blind spot monitoring systems, superior emergency braking, alcohol ignition interlocks, and intelligent speed awareness systems.
Sam Waide, CEO of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), has expressed his support for the inclusion of ADAS. He describes ADAS as a combination of sensors and other electronic devices that assist drivers in different tasks and play a key role in avoiding accidents. He believes that these systems could considerably boost road safety in Ireland.
One principal element of this technology is the intelligent speed assistance, which notifies drivers when they are breaking the speed limit. This technology aids drivers in complying with speed limits by issuing a sound alert or a vibration when the driver is speeding or when there is a change in the speed limit.
This function uses a forward-facing camera that captures and processes speed limit signage. This information is then paired with the vehicle’s GPS maps, allowing the car to be aware of the current speed limits throughout its journey.
Advanced emergency braking is another system that scans the road ahead, alerting the driver to any impending collisions. The brakes are automatically applied if the driver fails to respond swiftly during emergencies.
Additionally, a provision for an alcohol interlock connection allows for the integration of aftermarket breathalyzers on new cars. If such devices are installed, drivers must pass a breath alcohol concentration test to start the car.
A November 2022 study by the University of Limerick (UL) revealed that the installation of ADAS in cars could contribute significantly to a decrease in accidents. By analysing publicly available 2019 road safety data from Britain, researchers projected that a complete rollout of ADAS could lead to a 23.8 per cent reduction in collision incidence, translating into an annual drop of 18,925 incidents.
Investigations carried out by experts from Motion-S, Luxembourg and Lero at the UL’s Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software discovered that the most influential technology is advanced emergency braking. This equipment significantly reduces three from the top four collision types – intersection (diminished by 28%), rear-end (lessened by 27.7%), and collisions involving pedestrians (reduced by 28.4%). The team of researchers are of the view that comparable results may be possible to achieve in Ireland.
To heighten consumers and the car industry’s awareness of these modifications, the RSA is launching a campaign in cooperation with the Society of the Irish Motor Industry.