Advanced emergency braking capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists became mandatory on every new passenger car and van registered in the European Union on July 7, 2026, as the second phase of the bloc’s General Safety Regulation took full effect. The European Commission confirmed the requirements, which fall under Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 and also cover advanced driver distraction warning systems, improved forward vision, new tests for worn tires, and expanded safety-glass areas designed to protect pedestrians in a collision. The rules apply only to vehicles registered for the first time after July 7, 2026 — owners of existing vehicles are not required to retrofit the systems, and periodic technical inspections will not check for them on vehicles already on the road.
Highlights
- Automatic emergency braking on new EU cars and vans must now detect pedestrians and cyclists, not only other vehicles.
- The systems have been required on new vehicle types since July 2024; from July 7, 2026, they apply to all newly registered cars and vans, including older models still in production.
- The European Commission estimates the full package of General Safety Regulation measures could prevent more than 25,000 deaths and 140,000 serious injuries on European roads by 2038.
- The next major deadline arrives January 7, 2029, when improved direct vision becomes mandatory for heavy goods vehicles.
What Does the July 2026 Phase Require?
All new passenger cars and vans sold in the EU must now carry five systems:
- Advanced emergency braking that can detect pedestrians and cyclists in addition to other vehicles
- Advanced driver distraction warning, which uses an infrared camera to monitor the driver’s head and eye movements for signs of distraction
- Improved forward vision for the driver
- New testing requirements for worn tires to ensure safer performance over a tire’s life
- Expanded safety-glass areas to protect pedestrians during accidents
The Commission notes that manufacturers were given additional time to develop these more technically demanding features, which is why the legislation rolled out in multiple phases.
A Phased Rollout Since 2022
The July 2026 milestone is the latest step in a timetable that has been phasing in mandatory safety systems since the regulation entered into force, beginning with the first group of mandatory systems in July 2022.
| Effective date | Applies to | Key systems |
|---|---|---|
| July 2022 | New vehicle types | Intelligent speed assistance, reversing detection, driver drowsiness warning, emergency stop signal, cybersecurity measures, strengthened safety glass |
| July 2024 | New vehicle types | Lane-keeping assistance, tire pressure monitoring for vans, buses, and trucks, event data recorders |
| July 7, 2026 | All newly registered cars and vans | Pedestrian- and cyclist-detecting emergency braking, driver distraction warning, forward vision, worn-tire tests, expanded safety glass |
| January 7, 2029 | New trucks, buses, and coaches | Improved direct vision for heavy goods vehicles, event data recorders |
Vision Zero Targets
The requirements support the EU’s long-term Vision Zero goal of moving as close as possible to zero road transport fatalities by 2050. The Commission states the new mandates will better protect pedestrians and cyclists, address crashes caused by driver distraction, and encourage widespread adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems.
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