From July 2022: New monitors in the car will be mandatory

More surveillance in the car: From the middle of the year, a new watcher will move into the cockpit – and this will be mandatory. In some cases, drivers may even have to pay for this check.

Two years ago, the EU launched a regulation that will come into effect on July 6th. Then new vehicle types must be equipped with the intelligent speed assistant ISA (Intelligent Speed ​​Assistance). This obligation will apply to all new vehicles from mid-2024. According to the EU, this should result in up to 25,000 fewer road deaths and 140,000 fewer serious injuries each year. Hardly anything bad can be said against this project – in contrast to the new ISA system. t-online answers the most important questions.

For whom will ISA become mandatory? And when?

From July 6, 2022, new vehicle types (cars, trucks, vans, buses) must be equipped with ISA. Models that were type-approved earlier may only be sold with ISA from July 7, 2024.

Example: Whoever decides in favor of the current VW Golf in the near future will receive it without an ISA. Because the model naturally received its type approval before July 6, 2022. From mid-2024, however, it must also have the assistant on board. And in the successor model, ISA will definitely be installed, as it will receive its type approval after the deadline.

According to the current status, there is no obligation to retrofit current models.

What exactly does ISA do?

The system combines assistants such as traffic sign recognition, cruise control and speed limiters. It is intended to help drivers not to drive too fast. Because it knows the permitted speed and also knows how fast the car is currently traveling. To do this, it uses sensors, cameras and digital maps. If the driving speed is higher than the permitted speed, ISA can throttle the power of the engine or even switch it off until the permitted speed is reached.

It also draws the driver’s attention to the fact that he is driving too fast by means of optical, haptic or acoustic signals. This can be a warning in the field of vision, a warning tone or a vibrating accelerator pedal – or a combination of these signals. But it can also increase the back pressure of the accelerator pedal. In order to maintain the speed, the driver would then have to press the pedal harder. However, the assistant only actuates the brake if an automatic emergency brake or adaptive cruise control (ACC) is installed in the car.

How much does ISA cost?

Drivers will not incur any costs for the first seven years. After that, however, the car manufacturers are allowed to charge a fee for the assistant (for example in a subscription model).

What is the problem with ISA?

Criticism of the new assistant has come from various quarters. The ADAC, for example, considers the system to be under-tested and therefore not mature. Others have doubts as to whether ISA really makes traffic safer. In her opinion, the car lobby played too much part in shaping the EU regulation.

Drivers can overrule the system by pressing hard on the gas pedal – or they can simply switch ISA off altogether. That is also possible. However, the assistant is reactivated every time the car is started. Nevertheless: “A switched off system has no safety advantage”, criticizes, for example, the traffic safety organization ETSC (European Transport Safety Commission).