Safety on European roads is to be improved in the coming year. To this end, the EU has issued a regulation for mandatory assistance systems for new cars. Sustainability will also be high on the agenda in the fleet in 2024, because with the CSR reporting obligation, companies will have to prove theirCO2 emissions. In this blog post, we give you an overview of the most important changes for the fleet in the coming year.
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Black box obligation for new cars
It has been installed in airplanes since the 1950s: the black box. From July 7, 2024, the so-called Event Data Recorder (EDR) will also be mandatory for all newly registered cars in the EU. Like a black box in an airplane, the device continuously records and overwrites data. This includes speed, engine speed, steering angle and position. If an accident occurs, the data is no longer overwritten but saved and can be read out. This provides a better understanding of the course of the accident. In contrast to the black device in the airplane, the Event Data Recorder in vehicles is orange. This is to make it easier to find the box.
These assistance systems will also become mandatory in 2024
Next year, the EU will introduce the obligation for additional driver assistance systems for new cars. The new regulation is intended to increase road safety, as according to EU statistics, human error is the cause of 95 percent of all road accidents. Thanks to the mandatory safety technology, the EU Commission expects to save around 25,000 lives and prevent at least 140,000 serious injuries on European roads by 2038. Mandatory assistance systems include:
- Intelligent Speed Assistant: The so-called Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA) alerts drivers with visual and acoustic signals when the detected maximum speed is exceeded.
- Drowsiness and attention warning systems: These systems use AI-based analysis of driving or steering patterns to monitor the driver’s physical condition. They recognize whether attention is reduced due to fatigue or declining concentration, for example.
- Emergency Brake Assist: This system recognizes dangerous situations and causes the vehicle to brake automatically or is assisted in the braking process. The objects and road users that the emergency brake assist must recognize are defined in stages. From 2024, the detection of obstacles and moving vehicles in front of the car will be mandatory; in a second phase, pedestrians and cyclists will also have to be detected.
- Emergency Lane Keeping Assist: If the driver unintentionally leaves the lane, for example in the event of microsleep, the assistance system intervenes and brings the vehicle back into its lane.
- Emergency brake light: This alerts other road users to an abrupt braking maneuver in order to avoid rear-end collisions.
- Reversing Assist: This system assists drivers when reversing and warns when other road users or objects are behind the vehicle.
- Device for installing an alcohol-sensitive immobilizer: From July 2024, new cars must have an interface to which a corresponding monitoring device can be connected. This is intended to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol. Initially, only the installation of a device is mandatory, but not the immobilizer itself. This is to happen at a later date.
Driving license exchange
Anyone who still has a pink or gray driver’s license and was born between 1965 and 1970 must exchange it for a counterfeit-proof driver’s license in check-card format by Jan. 19, 2024. If you are caught with your old driver’s license, you risk a warning fine of 10 euros. For the exchange you need your official photo ID, a biometric passport photo and the current driver’s license. In addition, a fee of 25 euros is due.
The exchange is a purely administrative matter, which means that there is no need to take another driver’s license test. You can find out when your driver´s license needs to be exchanged with the help of the ADAC’s exchange calculator.
Driver's license verification
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Rising fuel prices and tolls
From January 1, 2024, the price per CO2 ton is to rise from 30 to 40 euros. This will also be noticeable at filling stations, where the price of petrol and diesel is expected to rise by around three to four cents per liter. An increase in the CO2 tax to 50 euros is planned for the following year.
From December 2023, a new component will be added to the calculation of toll charges. This provides for a CO2 surcharge of 200 euros per ton of CO2. From July 2024, the toll obligation will also be extended and will then also apply to trucks weighing 3.5 tons or more. However, craft businesses are exempt from the regulation.
Alpine symbol on winter tires becomes mandatory
In recent years, winter tires have been recognized by the M+S symbol, which stands for mud and snow. In 2018, this was replaced by the Alpine symbol, which represents a mountain with a snowflake. In contrast to M+S tires, these tires have passed a standardized traction test. During the transition period, drivers were allowed to continue using tires with the M+S symbol, but this period ends in October 2024. After that, only winter tires with the Alpine symbol are permitted. If you continue to drive with M+S tires, you risk a fine of 60 euros and a point in Flensburg.
HU stickers
All vehicles in the fleet that have a green TÜV sticker on their license plate must undergo a general inspection in 2024. If the test is passed, a blue sticker will be issued and the vehicle will have to undergo the next main inspection in 2026. In total, badges exist in six colors, alternating one after the other. Software solutions like our Fleet+ fleet software help you meet important deadlines by providing timely reminders of upcoming deadlines.
CSR reporting obligation
Starting in 2024, companies that meet two of the following three criteria (1) total assets of at least 20 million euros, (2 )net sales of at least 40 million euros, or (3) at least250 employees will be required to demonstrate their CO2 emissions.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) also applies retroactively for the year 2023. As a result, more companies will be required to report on sustainability; for example, the number of companies required to report in Germany will increase thirtyfold. Such a verification requirement must be prepared accordingly and requires forward-looking data and reporting management. Fleet managers are therefore well advised to start reducing environmentally harmful emissions now and to provide all the necessary data.
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