The age of all cars being fitted with telematics to record a vehicle’s speed is closer than ever after European bureaucrats pushed for a ‘rapid agreement’ on proposed changes.
The black boxes are currently used by some insurance companies in the UK to track drivers, particularly those who have just passed their driving test. But a proposal from the European Council has requested that every new passenger vehicle and van be fitted with a black box, specifically to record speed of cars before and during road accidents.
The proposal has been welcomed by Britain’s road safety campaigners, even though there is no guarantee, with Brexit on the horizon, the changes would be made in the UK. Joshua Harris of road safety charity Brake has backed the changes.
This is a momentous day for road safety in Europe with support given to measures that could prevent 25,000 lives being lost on the road over the next 16 years,” he said. “Member states have played their part, backing the mandatory fitting of vehicle technologies which will make roads safer for everyone for generations to come. Now it’s the European Parliament’s turn to step up and make this vision a reality.
“Road safety has stagnated in the UK in recent years, but the rollout of lifesaving vehicle technologies, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Intelligent Speed Assistance, can deliver the next-step change in safety improvement. The UK government must seize this opportunity and continue its support of these vital measures, regardless of the Brexit outcome.
"There is huge public backing for action to improve the safety of vehicles, and it is imperative that both the EU and UK government support these measures and help make our roads safer for all.”
The information recorded on the black boxes could be used to determine who was at fault for an accident, though it is not known if there any plans to use the data to convict in other crimes.