The UK government has confirmed plans to mandate 18 new vehicle safety technologies in mass-produced cars, following a consultation that ran from January to May 2026. The measures, announced by the Labour Party government, include blind-spot information systems, tyre-pressure monitoring, drowsiness and attention warning cameras, and emergency braking for pedestrians and cyclists.
Intelligent Speed Assistance to become mandatory
Among the most controversial additions is Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), a speed-limiter technology that warns drivers when they exceed the limit and can actively slow the vehicle in some cases. The consultation showed support for ISA at 66.1%, the lowest among the 18 technologies.
High public support for most technologies
Public backing ranged from 66.1% for ISA to 82.4% for tyre-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). Other highly supported measures include blind-spot information systems (81.7%), reversing motion awareness (79.2%), and direct vision standards (78%). The full list includes advanced distraction warning, emergency braking for vehicles, event data recorders, emergency lane keeping, emergency stop signals, and various impact protection standards.
Missed opportunity for alcohol interlocks
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis expressed disappointment that alcohol interlock interfaces were not included. "It feels like a missed opportunity because it would have made it easier to fit alcolocks to the vehicles of repeat offenders in the future," he said. "This is not about alcolocks being fitted to all vehicles; it's about making it easier to install these devices in the vehicles of repeat drink-drive offenders so they cannot get behind the wheel drunk again. RAC research shows there is strong support among drivers for alcolocks being used in this way."
Full list of mandated technologies and support levels
- Advanced distraction warning (ADW) - 74.7%
- Blind spot information system (BSIS) - 81.7%
- Drowsiness and attention warning (DAW) - 76%
- Direct vision (DIV) - 78%
- Emergency braking for cyclists (EBC) - 70.4%
- Emergency braking for pedestrians (EBP) - 73.7%
- Emergency braking for vehicles (EBV) - 74.2%
- Event data recorder (EDR) - 70.5%
- Emergency lane keeping system (ELKS) - 66.8%
- Emergency stop signal (ESS) - 76.6%
- Frontal full-width impact (FFWI) - 72.5%
- Frontal offset impact (FOI) - 72.4%
- Intelligent speed assistance (ISA) - 66.1%
- Moving off information system (MOIS) - 69%
- Pole side impact (PSI) - 71.8%
- Pedestrian windscreen impact (PWI) - 75.9%
- Reversing motion awareness (RMA) - 79.2%
- Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) - 82.4%
