EU Mandates Driver-Distraction Cameras in All New Cars – But Promises No Spying, No Identification
Published on 07/19/2026 at 17:13 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Privacy regulators have given the green light to Europe’s latest safety mandate: from July 1, every new car sold in the European Union must be fitted with a system that watches the driver’s eyes and head movements to detect distraction. The technology, called Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW), uses infrared cameras to monitor in real time whether a driver is looking away from the road for too long. If the threshold is crossed, an alarm sounds.
The key reassurance from data protection authorities: these cameras do not identify who is behind the wheel. The systems operate as “closed-loop” solutions, meaning all image processing happens locally inside the vehicle. No video is transmitted to external servers or the cloud, and the data is deleted immediately after processing. Biometric identification is not performed – only patterns of distraction are recognized. That design, regulators say, keeps the technology compliant with EU data protection rules.
How the system works
The ADDW is triggered automatically each time the engine starts, though drivers can manually disable it. At speeds above 50 km/h, the system issues a warning if the driver’s gaze deviates from the road for more than 3.5 seconds. In city traffic, between 20 and 50 km/h, the tolerance extends to six seconds. The cost of integrating the hardware is estimated at €100 to €150 per vehicle.
Impact and early complaints
The European Commission estimates that distracted driving contributes to 10 to 30 percent of all traffic accidents. Michael Praxenthaler, a traffic psychologist at the Centre for Technology (AZT), considers the mandate fundamentally sensible. Field studies, he notes, have already shown positive changes in drivers’ visual behavior. However, he adds that conclusive statistical proof of a significant reduction in crashes is still pending.
Early criticism from testers suggests the systems may be calibrated too sensitively. Routine glances – such as checking a side mirror or a quick look at the dashboard – have triggered false alarms. If that persists, acceptance among drivers could erode over time.
Next step: detecting cognitive distraction
The EU is already planning a more advanced phase. By summer 2027, it will become mandatory for new cars to detect not just where a driver is looking, but signs of cognitive distraction – mental absence or intense mental strain. That future system will go beyond eye tracking to assess the driver’s state of mind, raising new questions about the balance between safety and privacy.
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