The Council of the European Union has proposed a regulation to extend the requirement for tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to light commercial vehicles and SUVs.
A TECHNOLOGY EXTENDED TO SUVS AND VANS
Since 1st November 2014, all new passenger cars must be fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, also referred to as TPMS. If vans and SUVs were exempt from this regulation, it will soon no longer be the case. The Council of the European Union has just published a paper that will force car manufacturers to build this technology and others into their new vehicles. TPMS is a system designed to monitor tyre pressure and report real time tyre pressure information to the driver. If the device detects an anomaly, a warning signal is displayed on the instrument panel allowing the driver to stop, as soon as possible, to check the pressure of his tyres and reduce the risk of a road accident.
OTHER MANDATORY SAFETY MEASURES
The requirement to equip SUVs and vans with TPMS is not the only new feature proposed by the Council of the EU. The draft regulation also proposes that many other safety tools, already required for new passenger cars, should be installed on these types of vehicles. As such, in addition to the TPMS, SUVs and vans will be required to install intelligent speed assistance, alcohol interlock, driver drowsiness monitoring and emergency stop signals.
The EU Council also proposes new features for passenger cars and vans such as speed data recorders and activation of the vehicle’s safety systems before, during and after an accident and enlarged protection zones for pedestrians and cyclists. The proposed regulation will now be debated at the European Parliament before it can finally be adopted.
