From July 7, 2026, all new cars registered in the EU must be equipped with a driver monitoring system that faces the driver. This system continuously monitors whether the driver is paying attention and whether they are fatigued; it is called an Adaptive Driver Monitoring System (ADDW/DMS). The new regulations apply to both passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
Recent reports indicate that this is another mandatory regulation from the EU, following the requirement on January 7th of this year that newly registered vehicles must be equipped with Event Data Recorders (EDRs), also known as the car's "black box." The extent to which this new regulation will impact car imports from outside the EU is a major concern for many related companies.
Why is the EU mandating its installation?
Today, with the general trend of parallel development of automotive intelligence and safety, the EU continues to exert efforts in the field of road safety regulations.
The initial concept of ADDW (Autonomous Driving Distraction) regulations can be traced back to 2019, when the EU issued Regulation 2019/2144 (GSR), which proactively proposed that M (passenger cars) and N (freight trucks) category vehicles should be gradually equipped with ADDW systems to reduce traffic accidents caused by driver distraction. Subsequently, after several years of technical discussions and standard refinement, the EU issued document EU2023/2590 in 2023, which detailed the key aspects of the ADDW system, including technical specifications and testing methods, and finalized the timeline for mandatory installation in all new vehicles starting July 7, 2026. The timeframe of policy formulation clearly shows that the EU's goal in pushing this regulation to be implemented is to balance technical feasibility with road safety requirements.
Industry experts believe that ADDW regulations are not isolated from the perspective of global safety standards for both manual and autonomous driving. They complement the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 26262 standard and the United Nations' UNECE R157 regulation. ISO 26262 focuses on the functional safety of automotive electronic and electrical systems, providing a fundamental safety framework for the hardware and software design of ADDW systems. UNECE R157, on the other hand, emphasizes the harmonization of safety regulations related to autonomous driving. ADDW, as a crucial component in improving driving safety, is integrated into these standards, collectively promoting the unification and improvement of global vehicle driving, especially autonomous driving, safety standards, and contributing to a safer road traffic environment.
Core requirements of the new regulations
As a key subsystem in the cockpit ensuring driving safety, the ADDW system uses visual monitoring technology at its core to constantly monitor the driver's status. Its working principle is based on advanced camera image capture technology, combined with powerful image processing algorithms, to accurately analyze the driver's eye movements and head posture, thereby determining the driver's gaze direction. If the system detects that the driver is staring at an area unrelated to driving for an extended period, it immediately issues an alarm.
The seemingly simple workflow actually hides a high level of technical hurdles. According to EU regulations, the ADDW system must automatically activate when the vehicle speed reaches 20km/h or higher, and must be able to operate stably under all lighting conditions, including strong sunlight during the day and low light at night. No matter how the external environment changes, it must not affect its monitoring of the driver's status.
In terms of judgment criteria, if the driver's gaze remains within the defined "distracting" visual area, the system must issue a warning promptly. The ADDW system will use multiple methods to warn, including visual, audible, and tactile warnings, and the warning level will gradually escalate as the driver's distraction time increases. Initially, it might just be a small, inconspicuous light on the dashboard, accompanied by a soft beep; if the driver does not respond promptly, the warning beep will become increasingly urgent, and the seat may even begin to vibrate, until the driver refocuses their attention on the driving task.
This leads to a new problem: automakers from outside the EU must pass a series of rigorous ADDW certification tests to allow their vehicles to enter the EU market. The tests cover 14 areas inside the vehicle that could distract the driver, including the driver's knees, the center console, and the infotainment display. Comprehensive testing is also conducted under different lighting conditions, both day and night. Only when the system meets the technical requirements of ADDW certification in terms of warning accuracy, response time, robustness, and other aspects can it successfully obtain a "passport" to enter the EU market.
Automobile exports face challenges
Reports indicate that the mandatory installation of ADDW (Additional Driver Ward) systems has undoubtedly placed direct cost pressure on car exporters. Some estimates suggest that the core hardware cost of a complete ADDW system could reach 2,000-3,000 yuan.
The challenge lies in the fact that the ADDW regulations are not isolated. In recent years, the EU has continuously tightened environmental regulations; for example, the REACH regulation has expanded the scope of chemical control, and the new Battery Act imposes stringent requirements on the recycling of automotive batteries. This necessitates additional investment from export-oriented automakers in areas such as raw material procurement and production process optimization, further increasing the overall cost of vehicles. For automakers lacking sufficient resources, excessively high costs may force them to withdraw from the export market.
Meanwhile, EU regulations are becoming increasingly stringent regarding the compliance of materials in new vehicles. For example, restrictions on perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) require supply chain companies to have strong data traceability capabilities to ensure that raw materials and components are free of harmful substances during production. This also poses a significant challenge to some small and medium-sized suppliers in China. Some analysts suggest that if these smaller suppliers are eliminated, automakers will face the challenge of restructuring their supply chains. Finding new qualified suppliers will not only require considerable time and effort but will also drive up costs.
In response, industry experts suggest three key points: First, reduce costs and increase efficiency in the localization of core component R&D, plan ahead in advance to ensure effective response to various external challenges; second, implement localization strategies in the market, adapt to policies, circumvent trade barriers, and focus on differentiated products; third, in terms of certification, initiate certification processes in advance, shorten the cycle, and build an internal dynamic regulatory early warning mechanism to ensure that products meet external market regulatory requirements in the long term, maintaining technological leadership and compliance advantages in international market competition.
Industry experts also suggest that against the backdrop of booming global automobile exports, Chinese automakers should seize the opportunity presented by the EU's ADDW (Additional Development and Repair) regulations and steadfastly pursue a development path centered on technological innovation, based on compliance management, and driven by localization. They should continuously increase R&D investment in advanced technologies, constantly improve product safety and intelligence, and gain a deeper understanding of local market demands to provide products and services that better meet user needs. Only in this way can Chinese automakers overcome trade barriers in the fiercely competitive global intelligent vehicle market, continuously excel, and achieve steady and sustainable growth.
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