A new EU law designed to reduce speeding and improve road safety will apply to all new cars sold in the European Union from 7 July 2024.

The law requires manufacturers to fit intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology to their cars, but they can implement it in various ways – including automatically limiting the car’s speed. 

When questioned by Which?, DfT confirmed that the new law would apply to Northern Ireland, but that it would not be mandated in England, Scotland or Wales. However, it’s likely new cars sold in the UK will still have ISA technology as standard.

This change is being introduced by the European Union and is based on recommendations by the European Transport Safety Council, a not-for-profit organisation that argues that the introduction of mandatory ISA technology across all new cars would reduce European road deaths by 20%.

The European Commission says the introduction of ISA could reduce both insurance costs and CO2 emissions, and may also help to slow down older cars that don’t have ISA.

While the UK is no longer part of the European Union, the law will still be mandated in Northern Ireland. Although this means it’s not a legal requirement for new cars sold in England, Scotland or Wales to have ISA fitted, the likelihood is that most manufacturers will include it.

Commenting on the fact that the law won’t apply to new cars sold in Great Britain, Mike Hawes from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) told Which?: ‘The UK has some of the safest roads in the world, but action to improve our record still further should be welcomed. Bearing in mind the heavily integrated nature of the UK and European automotive sectors, regulatory divergence is not advantageous for either party.’