AA welcomes new vehicle safety standards
AA welcomes draft regulations proposing higher minimum safety standards for all new vehicles in SA.
The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has expressed support for the revised minimum safety standards for new passenger cars sold in South Africa. The government recently published the Draft Compulsory Specification for Motor Vehicles of Category M1, which outlines proposed safety standards for all new passenger cars sold in the local market.
AA CEO Bobby Ramagwede stated that the country's safety standards are significantly below those of other territories, emphasizing the need to align South Africa with European and Australian safety regulations. The AA has been advocating for stronger car safety standards for the past decade. The draft regulations, published in Government Gazette No. 54970 on July 10, 2026, include several key safety changes.
These include updates to airbag requirements, stricter side-impact protection rules, and the proposal to raise the standard for electronic stability control (ESC). The public comment period for the draft regulations runs until September 10, 2026.
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