In the coming year, safety on European roads is to be increased. 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.
Black box obligation for new cars
It has been installed in aircraft since the 1950s: the black box. From 07 July 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. These include speed, engine speed, steering angle or position. If an accident occurs, the data is no longer overwritten but stored and can be read out. This provides a better understanding of how the accident occurred. Unlike the black device in the aircraft, 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 mandatory additional driver assistance systems for new cars. The new regulation is intended to improve road safety, because according to EU statistics, human error is the cause of 95 percent of all traffic 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 alerts: using AI-based analysis of driving or steering patterns, these systems monitor the driver’s physical state. You can tell if attention is diminished by fatigue or declining concentration, for example.
- Emergency Brake Assist: This system detects dangerous situations and causes the vehicle to brake automatically or is assisted during the braking process. The objects and road users that the emergency brake assistant must detect are defined in a staggered manner. From 2024, the detection of obstacles and moving vehicles in front of the car will be mandatory, and 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 to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol. Initially, only the installation of a device is obligatory, 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
Are all your employees in possession of a valid driver’s license? With Carano’s electronic driver’s license check, drivers conveniently scan their license on the go via smartphone app. All results are fully documented.
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.
Fleet+ fleet software
Our powerful fleet management software Fleet+ supports you on your way to a Green Fleet and helps you discover savings potential through the use of e-vehicles.
