EU requires all new cars to have cameras facing the driver’s face to monitor their behaviour

[NutellaEllaElla]

https://www.carscoops.com/2026/07/eu-driver-monitoring-mandate/

Is anyone else unhappy about this? I hate how technology is invading my life. In my car it gets speed limits wrong all the time, it fights me trying to change lanes without indicating (and I don’t need to, again the car doesn’t know), there’s just so much it gets wrong and the tech itself is a distraction. I’m all for options, but I want to be able to turn it off as well please. Is there no end? Can we resist??

Easy enough to deal with. Don't buy a new car.

Why do you need to change lanes without indicating?

I think you’re right about tech in cars being a distraction, CarPlay is just as bad as being on a phone but I’m also sick of seeing drivers blatantly using their phones and not paying attention to the road…

We’re not in the EU any more.

If there is no one on the road, no need to indicate.

This a bit weird imv - is it to check afterwards whether they’re on the hands free phone if they have an accident? Maybe if you drive erratically police can log into your car and see if you look drunk??? It seems dodgy. Too much.
And what’s to stop you wearing a mask. Putting gum on the camera.?

You're supposed to indicate when changing lanes or turning becz of the road user you didn't see who needs to know.

Will this even affect UK, as we aren't part of the EU any more.

The monitor doesn't like it if you wear sunglasses apparently. I've a new car but thankfully mine doesn't have it but the FB group I'm in for the car, others do...it's a right pain

Hmm. I see your concern but ...

"If the driver keeps their eyes fixed [on the instrument panel] for more than 6 seconds at speeds between 20-50 km/h (12-31 mph), or for more than 3.5 seconds when going faster than that, they get visual and acoustic warnings. To prevent false alarms, the software builds in a minimum tolerance of 50 milliseconds.

"The legislation is driven by the European Commission’s estimate that between 10% and 30% of traffic accidents in Europe stem from driver distraction."

Fair point. I'm also in favour of fatigue warnings.

Manufacturers are not going to build different cars just for the UK.

It’s not to check anything afterwards, the footage isn’t stored. It is to give you alerts if it senses you aren’t paying attention, or are falling asleep. Like a reversing camera that beeps if you get too close to something when parking, but doesn’t store footage.

We’re driving one of these right now as a holiday rental. It warns you if your eyes are closing (not blinking, closing) - probably quite good for people who refuse to stop and rest when they need to!

Apart from that not noticeable at all.

The regs specifically say it is to be closed loop. So no data transmitted or recorded. It's just to give a warning if it detects distraction.

So far as I can see anyway. It's really more like an advanced seat belt fastened detector.

Except they already do as they’re all right hand drive vs left hand drive…

I just bought a 25 plate and discovered an alarm goes off every time you go even 1mph over the speed limit - and nope, you can’t permanently switch it off. It also regularly gets speed limits wrong so the other day on the motorway it was telling me I was speeding because I was doing 65.

I just find it all very ‘nanny state’. If someone is going to drive like an idiot, an alarm isn’t going to stop them.

Sp annoying isn't it. I'll be doing 60 on a 60 and it is continually beeping at me because it spotted a 30 sign on a slip road.n

Or it screeches at me when a leaf passsed

Yes it is good to be in the habit of indicating. As a pedestrian who drivers often do not see, I rely on indicators to decide whether to cross or not cross roads.

That said, I would not appreciate having to pay extra for technology like this in a new car (not that I can afford one anyway).

Who owns the recording? Where does the data go

Is this genuine? I can’t believe anyone would want to be filmed all the time. Very intrusive. Surely there are ways of improving safety that don’t entail surveilling every conversation someone has.

There is no recording.

It’s like a reversing camera, but monitoring for signs of you falling asleep or not paying attention instead of whether you’re about to reverse into a wall.

The other day my car screeched its collision warning as I sailed (untouched) through a width restriction barrier. It is on a local road and I'm very used to it. The collision warning is startling and more likely to make me drive erratically.

I also HATE the thing that forcibly steers you back in your lane if, for some legitimate reason, you veer into the dashed line. There are so many reasons why you'd do this (tree branch fallen on the road, cyclist etc) but where signalling right would be misleading.

And yes, once I had to drive for a whole 25min down a motorway which was on a temporary 50mph speed restriction, and my car thought it was 30mph. It would have been dangerous and antisocial to go 20 under the limit, so I had to just cope with the incessant alarm. My nerves were a jangle of windchimes by the end.

I hate it all. Why can't I turn it all off.

I have wonky eyes so it probably wouldn’t like that so would computer say no and stop the car

I would want this for my OH. He is a terrible driver.

Good point. I have a relative with very hooded eyelids and it makes him have a drowsy appearance but he's wide awake and has had that his whole life. It'd probably think he's falling asleep.

I just hate how automation is enshittifying our lives, all because a minority of people need hand holding.

Some people using Mumsnet are not in UK. Is this the case with the OP?