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The so-called ADAS,

for advanced driver assistance systems, seek to minimize human influence, which is behind 90% of accidents with victims.

The technology is far ahead of the legislation and

there are already compact models (such as the Seat León) that carry up to thirty of these elements.

From next Wednesday, July 6, eight of them will be mandatory.

The EU has established this.

But it is important to specify: for now, only passenger cars will be required to be homologated from that date.

That is, new construction.

If they are already for sale or have not yet reached the market, but have already been homologated, they cannot be ordered until July 2024. Of course, these electronic aids will not be forced to be installed in cars already in circulation.

The EU hopes that they will help prevent 25,000 deaths and more than 140,000 serious injuries by 2040.

And an assessment of their results is expected every five years.

In addition, the improvements will also reach vans and trucks, although from 2028. Many cars already have some of these devices and their

application will be gradual.

In any case, they must be simple to operate and their warnings must be clear for the elderly or disabled.

smart speed assistant

A camera placed on the front is enough, better if it is combined with GPS information, so that the car knows how fast we have to go in each section.

So what this device will do is

continuously adapt our rhythm to that of the signals, using cruise control for this.

Although the user will be allowed to deactivate it

if he acts wrongly or needs to accelerate urgently, in which case the pedal will have to be pressed hard to break that resistance.

It is an evolution of the first speed limiters in which the device only prevents us from exceeding the maximum speed, but does not adapt it intelligently and continuously.

Rear camera with cross traffic detection

Anyone who already has a vehicle with a rear camera will have already seen that, if it is useful when parking without giving the car a scratch, it is much more so when it comes to

reversing out of an area with poor visibility, such as a parking lot. battery: the wide angle they carry shows us many hidden things.

What Brussels wants is that, in addition to showing images, the software tracks the sides looking for other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians with whom we can collide.

On the screen,

a danger signal will warn us from which side it is coming from and, if we do not brake, the car will do so on its own.

Fatigue and sleepiness detector

It is advisable to make a stop every two hours or 200 km of travel, factors that are controlled in a very simple way.

But also whenever we begin to notice that we are tired.

A simple control of our hand on the steering wheel is enough for the car to sense that we have been driving too long, since we make inaccuracies continuously and correct abruptly.

In a first phase, the device will warn us that we are tired or sleepy and, in a later evolution, it will be able to warn of a distraction.

To do this, you will need facial recognition cameras that, due to data protection, will not be able to store the images.

emergency braking

Already required by EuroNCAP to achieve the highest rating in its tests, it makes the car stop, or brake to the maximum, in the event of a possible collision with another stationary or moving vehicle.

In a second phase (cars registered from 2026), it must recognize pedestrians and cyclists.

In addition, in very sudden stops, the emergency flashers will be activated.

These types of elements were born to avoid rear-end collisions and run overs in the city, but there are already some that are effective at very high speeds.

Its interest also responds to the fact that many users, in an emergency, either do not brake with the necessary force or stop doing so before time.

Lane departure warning

The car reads the road signs through a camera and if we leave the lane without activating the intermittent, it understands that we are getting lost.

And it will warn of it (sound, visual or through vibrations in the steering wheel or seat).

In their most advanced versions, these devices intervene on the steering wheel to correct the trajectory and can take full control if the driver has suffered an indisposition or does not respond.

But since they can fail or not read the road well, their disconnection will be allowed.

In fact, in many current cars it is almost recommended, due to its intrusive and violent response.

System that prevents starting the car if it has been drunk

For many years now, devices can be bought in the aftermarket that prevent the vehicle from starting if it has been drunk.

Even some brands like Volvo have promoted it.

But what the EU requires to carry in cars is not that device, but the interface that allows it to be installed and that it fulfills its function.

Alcohol is behind 25% of accident deaths that occur each year in the EU.

In Spain, these devices must be installed in passenger transport vehicles from July, as stated in the reform of the Traffic Law that comes into force on March 21.

Aircraft-style black box

In technical jargon, it is known as EDR (for Event Data Recorder).

It will record a large number of parameters before, during and after a claim.

But that information will be used only for further scientific knowledge.

For this reason, the data will always be anonymous, without even being able to identify the license plate of the vehicle.

Nor can it be deactivated by the user.

At no time is it considered that it can be used to impose fines a posteriori (for example, for speeding) or transfer your data to third parties such as insurers.

Although this would make the most respectful drivers with the rules have better policies.

Belt notice at the back

Since 2004, cars must have a warning that the seat belts in the front seats are not being used, when they are occupied.

Now it is mandatory to monitor the rear seats.

After a few meters or exceeding a certain speed, a beep will warn us (until it becomes almost unbearable) that there are offenders on board.

If they are adults, the fine (200 euros) will be paid by them.

If they are minors, the driver.

Although that is the least of it.

In a frontal collision at only 60 km/h, an unbelted rear occupant is thrown against those in front as if he weighed 56 times more: that is, a 75-kilogram person is projected as if he weighed more than four tons.

The same as an elephant.

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