Regulation (EU) 2019/2144

This Regulation establishes requirements:

(a) for the type-approval of vehicles, and of systems, components and separate technical units designed and constructed for vehicles, with regard to their general characteristics and safety, and to the protection and safety of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users;

(b) for the type-approval of vehicles, in respect of tyre pressure monitoring systems, with regard to their safety, fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions; and

(c) for the type-approval of newly-manufactured tyres with regard to their safety and environmental performance.

This Regulation applies to vehicles of categories M, N and O, as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, and to systems, components and separate technical units designed and constructed for such vehicles.

For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions laid down in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 apply.

In addition, the following definitions apply:

(1) ‘vulnerable road user’ means non-motorised road users, including, in particular, cyclists and pedestrians, as well as users of powered two-wheelers;

(2) ‘tyre pressure monitoring system’ means a system fitted on a vehicle which can evaluate the pressure of the tyres or the variation of pressure over time and transmit corresponding information to the user while the vehicle is running;

(3) ‘intelligent speed assistance’ means a system to aid the driver in maintaining the appropriate speed for the road environment by providing dedicated and appropriate feedback;

(4) ‘alcohol interlock installation facilitation’ means a standardised interface that facilitates the fitting of aftermarket alcohol interlock devices in motor vehicles;

(5) ‘driver drowsiness and attention warning’ means a system that assesses the driver’s alertness through vehicle systems analysis and warns the driver if needed;

(6) ‘advanced driver distraction warning’ means a system that helps the driver to continue to pay attention to the traffic situation and that warns the driver when he or she is distracted;

(7) ‘emergency stop signal’ means a light-signalling function to indicate to other road users to the rear of the vehicle that a high retardation force is being applied to the vehicle relative to the prevailing road conditions;

(8) ‘reversing detection’ means a system to make the driver aware of people and objects at the rear of the vehicle with the primary aim of avoiding collisions when reversing;

(9) ‘lane departure warning system’ means a system to warn the driver that the vehicle is drifting out of its travel lane;

(10) ‘advanced emergency braking system’ means a system which can automatically detect a potential collision and activate the vehicle braking system to decelerate the vehicle with the purpose of avoiding or mitigating a collision;

(11) ‘emergency lane-keeping system’ means a system that assists the driver in keeping a safe position of the vehicle with respect to the lane or road boundary, at least when a lane departure occurs or is about to occur and a collision might be imminent;

(12) ‘vehicle master control switch’ means the device by which the vehicle’s on-board electronics system is brought, from being switched off, as in the case where a vehicle is parked without the driver being present, to normal operation mode;

(13) ‘event data recorder’ means a system with the only purpose of recording and storing critical crash-related parameters and information shortly before, during and immediately after a collision;

(14) ‘frontal protection system’ means a separate structure or structures, such as a bull bar, or a supplementary bumper which, in addition to the original‐equipment bumper, is intended to protect the external surface of the vehicle from damage in the event of a collision with an object, with the exception of structures having a mass of less than 0,5 kg, intended to protect only the vehicle’s lights;

(15) ‘bumper’ means any front, lower, outer structures of a vehicle, including attachments thereto, which are intended to give protection to a vehicle when involved in a low speed frontal collision with another vehicle; it does not include however any frontal protection system;

(16) ‘hydrogen-powered vehicle’ means any motor vehicle that uses hydrogen as fuel to propel the vehicle;

(17) ‘hydrogen system’ means an assembly of hydrogen components and connecting parts fitted on a hydrogen-powered vehicle, excluding the hydrogen-powered propulsion system or the auxiliary power unit;

(18) ‘hydrogen-powered propulsion system’ means the energy converter used to propel the vehicle;

(19) ‘hydrogen component’ means hydrogen containers and all other parts of hydrogen‐powered vehicles that are in direct contact with hydrogen or which form part of a hydrogen system;

(20) ‘hydrogen container’ means the component within the hydrogen system that stores the primary volume of hydrogen fuel;

(21) ‘automated vehicle’ means a motor vehicle designed and constructed to move autonomously for certain periods of time without continuous driver supervision but in respect of which driver intervention is still expected or required;

(22) ‘fully automated vehicle’ means a motor vehicle that has been designed and constructed to move autonomously without any driver supervision;

(23) ‘driver availability monitoring system’ means a system to assess whether the driver is in a position to take over the driving function from an automated vehicle in particular situations, where appropriate;

(24) ‘vehicle platooning’ means the linking of two or more vehicles in a convoy using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems which allow the vehicles to maintain automatically a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey and to adapt to changes in the movement of the lead vehicle with little to no action from the drivers;

(25) ‘maximum mass’ means the technically permissible maximum laden mass stated by the manufacturer;

(26) ‘A-pillar’ means the foremost and outermost roof support extending from the chassis to the roof of the vehicle.

1. Manufacturers shall demonstrate that all new vehicles that are placed on the market, registered or entered into service, and all new systems, components and separate technical units that are placed on the market or entered into service, are type-approved in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it.

2. Type-approval in accordance with the UN Regulations listed in Annex I shall be considered as EU type-approval in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it.

3. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 12 to amend Annex I in order to take account of technical progress and regulatory developments by introducing and updating references to the UN Regulations, and relevant series of amendments, that apply on a compulsory basis.

4. Manufacturers shall ensure that vehicles are designed, constructed and assembled so as to minimise the risk of injury to vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.

5. Manufacturers shall also ensure that vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units comply with the applicable requirements listed in Annex II with effect from the dates specified in that Annex, with the detailed technical requirements and test procedures laid down in the delegated acts and with the uniform procedures and technical specifications laid down in the implementing acts adopted pursuant to this Regulation, including the requirements relating to:(a) restraint systems, crash testing, fuel system integrity and high voltage electrical safety;(b) vulnerable road users, vision and visibility;(c) vehicle chassis, braking, tyres and steering;(d) on-board instruments, electrical system, vehicle lighting and protection against unauthorised use including cyberattacks;(e) driver and system behaviour; and(f) general vehicle construction and features.

6. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 12 to amend Annex II in order to take account of technical progress and regulatory developments, in particular in relation to the matters listed in points (a) to (f) of paragraph 5 of this Article as well as those referred to in points (a) to (g) of Article 6(1), Article 7(2), (3), (4) and (5), Article 9(2), (3) and (5) and Article 11(1), and with a view to ensuring a high level of general safety of vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units and a high level of protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, by introducing and updating references to UN Regulations, as well as to delegated acts and implementing acts.

7. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for the type-approval of vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units with regard to the requirements listed in Annex II.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2). They shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. Vehicles shall be equipped with an accurate tyre pressure monitoring system capable, over a wide range of road and environmental conditions, of giving an in-vehicle warning to the driver when a loss of pressure occurs in a tyre.

2. Tyre pressure monitoring systems shall be designed to avoid resetting or recalibration at a low tyre pressure.

3. All tyres placed on the market shall meet the safety and environmental performance requirements set out in the relevant regulatory acts listed in Annex II.

4. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for:(a) the type-approval of vehicles with regard to their tyre pressure monitoring systems;(b) the type-approval of tyres, including technical specifications concerning their installation.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2). They shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. Motor vehicles shall be equipped with the following advanced vehicle systems:(a) intelligent speed assistance;(b) alcohol interlock installation facilitation;(c) driver drowsiness and attention warning;(d) advanced driver distraction warning;(e) emergency stop signal;(f) reversing detection; and(g) event data recorder.

2. Intelligent speed assistance shall meet the following minimum requirements:(a) it shall be possible for the driver to be made aware through the accelerator control, or through dedicated, appropriate and effective feedback, that the applicable speed limit is exceeded;(b) it shall be possible to switch off the system; information about the speed limit may still be provided, and intelligent speed assistance shall be in normal operation mode upon each activation of the vehicle master control switch;(c) the dedicated and appropriate feedback shall be based on speed limit information obtained through the observation of road signs and signals, based on infrastructure signals or electronic map data, or both, made available in-vehicle;(d) it shall not affect the possibility, for the drivers, of exceeding the system’s prompted vehicle speed;(e) its performance targets shall be set in order to avoid or minimise the error rate under real driving conditions.

3. Driver drowsiness and attention warning and advanced driver distraction warning systems shall be designed in such a way that those systems do not continuously record nor retain any data other than what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed within the closed-loop system. Furthermore, those data shall not be accessible or made available to third parties at any time and shall be immediately deleted after processing. Those systems shall also be designed to avoid overlap and shall not prompt the driver separately and concurrently or in a confusing manner where one action triggers both systems.

4. Event data recorders shall meet the following requirements in particular:(a) the data that they are capable of recording and storing with respect of the period shortly before, during and immediately after a collision shall include the vehicle’s speed, braking, position and tilt of the vehicle on the road, the state and rate of activation of all its safety systems, 112-based eCall in-vehicle system, brake activation and relevant input parameters of the on-board active safety and accident avoidance systems, with high level of accuracy and ensured survivability of data;(b) they cannot be deactivated;(c) the way in which they are capable of recording and storing data shall be such that:(i) they operate on a closed-loop system;(ii) the data that they collect is anonymised and protected against manipulation and misuse; and(iii) the data that they collect enables precise vehicle type, variant and version, and in particular the active safety and accident avoidance systems fitted to the vehicle, to be identified; and(d) the data that they are capable of recording can be made available to national authorities, on the basis of Union or national law, only for the purpose of accident research and analysis, including for the purposes of type approval of systems and components and in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, over a standardised interface.

5. An event data recorder shall not be capable of recording and storing the last four digits of the vehicle indicator section of the vehicle identification number or any other information which could allow the individual vehicle itself, its owner or holder, to be identified.

6. The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 12 supplementing this Regulation by laying down detailed rules concerning the specific test procedures and technical requirements for:(a) the type-approval of vehicles with regard to the advanced vehicle systems listed in paragraph 1;(b) the type-approval of the advanced vehicle systems listed in points (a), (f) and (g) of paragraph 1 as separate technical units.

Those delegated acts shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it that are also applicable to vehicles of categories M1 and N1, vehicles of those categories shall meet the requirements set out in paragraphs 2 to 5 and the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 6.

2. Vehicles of categories M1 and N1 shall be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems designed and fitted in two phases and providing for:(a) the detection of obstacles and moving vehicles ahead of the motor vehicle in the first phase;(b) extending the detection capability referred to in point (a) to also include pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the motor vehicle in the second phase.

3. Vehicles of categories M1 and N1 shall also be equipped with an emergency lane-keeping system.

4. Advanced emergency braking systems and emergency lane-keeping systems shall meet the following requirements in particular:(a) it shall only be possible to switch off such systems one at a time by a sequence of actions to be carried out by the driver;(b) the systems shall be in normal operation mode upon each activation of the vehicle master control switch;(c) it shall be possible to easily suppress audible warnings, but such action shall not at the same time suppress system functions other than audible warnings;(d) it shall be possible for the driver to override such systems.

5. Vehicles of categories M1 and N1 shall be designed and constructed to provide for an enlarged head impact protection zone with the aim of enhancing the protection of vulnerable road users and mitigating their potential injuries in the event of a collision.

6. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for the type-approval of vehicles with regard to the requirements laid down in paragraphs 2 to 5 of this Article.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2). They shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. Frontal protection systems, whether fitted as original equipment to vehicles of categories M1 and N1 or made available on the market as separate technical units for such vehicles, shall comply with the requirements laid down in paragraph 2 and with the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 3.

2. Frontal protection systems made available on the market as separate technical units shall be accompanied by a detailed list of the vehicle types, variants and versions for which the frontal protection system is type-approved, as well as by clear assembly instructions.

3. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for the type-approval of frontal protection systems, including technical specifications concerning their construction and installation.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2). They shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it that are also applicable to vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3, vehicles of those categories shall meet the requirements laid down in paragraphs 2 to 5 and the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 7. Vehicles of categories M2 and M3, shall also meet the requirement laid down in paragraph 6.

2. ►C1 Vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3 shall be equipped with a lane departure warning system and an advanced emergency braking system, both of which shall comply with the technical specifications** ◄ ** set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 7.

3. Vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3 shall be equipped with advanced systems that are capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists located in close proximity to the front or nearside of the vehicle and of providing a warning or avoiding collision with such vulnerable road users.

4. With respect of systems referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, they shall meet the following requirements in particular:(a) it shall only be possible to switch off such systems one at a time by a sequence of actions to be carried out by the driver;(b) the systems shall be in normal operation mode upon each activation of the vehicle master control switch;(c) it shall be possible to easily suppress audible warnings, but such action shall not at the same time suppress system functions other than audible warnings;(d) it shall be possible for the driver to override such systems.

5. Vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3 shall be designed and constructed to enhance the direct visibility of vulnerable road users from the driver seat, by reducing to the greatest possible extent the blind spots in front of and to the side of the driver, while taking into account the specificities of different categories of vehicles.

6. Vehicles of categories M2 and M3 with a capacity exceeding 22 passengers in addition to the driver and constructed with areas for standing passengers to allow frequent passenger movement shall be designed and constructed to be accessible by persons with reduced mobility, including wheelchair users.

7. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for:(a) the type-approval of vehicles with regard to the requirements laid down in paragraphs 2 to 5 of this Article;(b) the type-approval of the systems referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article as separate technical units.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

Where those implementing acts concern the requirements laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this Article, they shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

Where those implementing acts concern the requirements laid down in paragraph 5 of this Article, they shall be published at least 36 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it that are also applicable to vehicles of categories M and N, hydrogen-powered vehicles of those categories, their hydrogen systems and components of such systems shall comply with the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 3.

2. Manufacturers shall ensure that hydrogen systems and hydrogen components are installed in accordance with the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 3. Manufacturers shall also make available, if necessary information for the purposes of inspection of hydrogen systems and components during the service life of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

3. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for the type-approval of hydrogen‐powered vehicles with regard to their hydrogen systems, including those with regard to material compatibility and fuelling receptacles, and for the type-approval of hydrogen components, including technical specifications for their installation.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2). They shall be published at least 15 months before the applicable dates specified in Annex II.

1. In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it that are applicable to vehicles of the respective categories, automated vehicles and fully automated vehicles shall comply with the technical specifications set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 2 that relate to:(a) systems to replace the driver’s control of the vehicle, including signalling, steering, accelerating and braking;(b) systems to provide the vehicle with real-time information on the state of the vehicle and the surrounding area;(c) driver availability monitoring systems;(d) event data recorders for automated vehicles;(e) harmonised format for the exchange of data for instance for multi‐brand vehicle platooning;(f) systems to provide safety information to other road users.

However, those technical specifications relating to driver availability monitoring systems, referred to in point (c) of the first subparagraph, shall not apply to fully automated vehicles.

2. The Commission shall by means of implementing acts adopt provisions concerning uniform procedures and technical specifications for the systems and other items listed in points (a) to (f) of paragraph 1 of this Article, and for the type-approval of automated and fully automated vehicles with regard to those systems and other items in order to ensure the safe operation of automated and fully automated vehicles on public roads.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.

2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 4(3) and (6) and Article 6(6) shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 5 January 2020. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.

3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 4(3) and (6) and Article 6(6) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.

5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council.

6. A delegated act adopted under Article 4(3) and (6) and Article 6(6) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Technical Committee — Motor Vehicles (TCMV). That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

Where the committee delivers no opinion, the Commission shall not adopt the draft implementing act and the third subparagraph of Article 5(4) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

1. By 7 July 2027 and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit an evaluation report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the achievements of the safety measures and systems, including their penetration rates and convenience for the user. The Commission shall investigate whether those safety measures and systems act as intended by this Regulation. Where appropriate, that report shall be accompanied by recommendations, including a legislative proposal to amend the requirements concerning general safety and the protection and safety of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, in order to further reduce or to eliminate accidents and injuries in road transport.

In particular, the Commission shall evaluate the reliability and efficiency of new intelligent speed assistance systems and the accuracy and error rate of such systems under real driving conditions. Where appropriate, the Commission shall present a legislative proposal.

2. By 31 January of each year, for the previous year, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a report on the activities of the UNECE’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) as regards the progress made in the implementation of vehicle safety standards with regard to the requirements set out in Articles 5 to 11 and as regards the position of the Union related to these matters.

1. This Regulation shall not invalidate any EU type-approvals granted to vehicles, systems, components or separate technical units which were granted in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 78/2009, Regulation (EC) No 79/2009 or Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 and their implementing measures, by 5 July 2022, unless the relevant requirements applying to such vehicles, systems, components or separate technical units have been modified, or new requirements have been added, by this Regulation and the delegated acts adopted pursuant to it, as further specified in the implementing acts adopted pursuant to this Regulation.

2. Approval authorities shall continue to grant extensions of EU type-approvals referred to in paragraph 1.

3. By way of derogation from this Regulation, Member States shall continue to permit until the date specified in Annex IV the registration of vehicles, as well as the sale or entry into service of components, which do not comply with the requirements of UN Regulation No 117.

With respect to vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units, national authorities shall:

(a) with effect from the dates specified in Annex II, with respect to a particular requirement listed in that Annex, refuse, on grounds relating to that requirement, to grant EU type‐approval or national type-approval to any new type of vehicle, system, component or separate technical unit that does not comply with the requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it;

(b) ►C1 with effect from the dates specified in Annex II, with respect to a particular requirement** ◄ ** listed in that Annex, consider, on grounds relating to that requirement, certificates of conformity in respect to new vehicles to be no longer valid for the purposes of Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, and prohibit the registration of such vehicles, if those vehicles do not comply with the requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it;

(c) with effect from the dates specified in Annex II, with respect to a particular requirement listed in that Annex, prohibit, on grounds relating to that requirement, the placing on the market or entry into service of components and separate technical units, where they do not comply with the requirements of this Regulation and of the delegated acts and implementing acts adopted pursuant to it.

Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 is amended in accordance with Annex III to this Regulation.

1. Regulations (EC) No 78/2009, (EC) No 79/2009 and (EC) No 661/2009 and Regulations (EC) No 631/2009, (EU) No 406/2010, (EU) No 672/2010, (EU) No 1003/2010, (EU) No 1005/2010, (EU) No 1008/2010, (EU) No 1009/2010, (EU) No 19/2011, (EU) No 109/2011, (EU) No 458/2011, (EU) No 65/2012, (EU) No 130/2012, (EU) No 347/2012, (EU) No 351/2012, (EU) No 1230/2012 and (EU) 2015/166 are repealed with effect from the date of application of this Regulation.

2. References to Regulations (EC) No 78/2009, (EC) No 79/2009 and (EC) No 661/2009 shall be construed as references to this Regulation.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 6 July 2022.

However, Article 4(3), (6) and (7), Article 5(4), Article 6(6), Article 7(6), Article 8(3), Article 9(7), Article 10(3), Article 11(2) and Articles 12 and 13 shall apply from 5 January 2020.