New cars sold in Japan from September 2031 must have driver monitoring systems
Such systems monitor driver attention, alerting them if there are signs of drowsy driving or if they are suspected to be looking at their phones.
Japan will soon require driver monitoring systems in new cars, effective September 2031. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry plans to revise its ordinance to mandate these systems for new models starting that year. Earlier models will need the systems by 2033. The monitoring systems use cameras and sensors to detect signs of driver distraction, such as looking at a smartphone or hands while driving.
If the driver's eyelids are closed for too long or steering wheel movement indicates drowsiness while traveling at higher speeds, the system will alert the driver. Major car manufacturers like Toyota, Subaru, and Mazda have already installed these systems on some luxury models. The cost for an add-on system on vehicles without it is approximately ¥100,000.
Japan's move follows a rise in accidents caused by mobile phone use while driving, with deaths and injuries attributed to such behavior increasing annually since 2020. The Japanese government's decision comes after the U.N.'s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations approved additional regulations on driver drowsiness and distraction warning systems.
Other countries, particularly the European Union, have already implemented similar mandates for new vehicles, aiming to prevent over 25,000 deaths and 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
