Overview
- The European Union has confirmed that from early July 2026 all passenger cars newly registered must come from the factory with two additional ADAS fitted.
- One mandated system, called ADDW (also referenced as DDR-ADR), uses inward-facing cameras and sensors with eye-tracking software to monitor gaze, head position and blinking and to issue visual and audible warnings for distraction or drowsiness.
- The second mandated system upgrades automatic emergency braking to detect pedestrians and cyclists in urban settings and to automatically apply controls if the driver does not react in time.
- The rule replaces the prior driver-behaviour approach with direct biometric monitoring that activates at lower speeds (around 20 km/h) and applies only to new, factory-fitted systems on cars first registered after the deadline; vehicles already in use do not need retrofits.
- The change builds on the EU General Safety Regulation and Vision Zero goals and aims to reduce crashes linked to distraction and fatigue, with possible wider effects including new supplier demand for inward cameras, clearer liability questions for manufacturers, and earlier intervention in city collisions.