New safety technology should prompt fleets to tighten vehicle standards

Fleet managers should review the minimum safety specification required for every vehicle added to the fleet.

The latest phase of the EU General Safety Regulation introduces more driver-assistance systems designed to reduce distraction, prevent collisions and improve post-incident information. Although the UK is outside the EU, many vehicles sold here are built to the same European standards.

However, fleets should not assume every model or trim level offers the same protection. Managers need to confirm which systems are standard, which cost extra and which drivers can deactivate.

Requirements should also reflect how each vehicle is used. Urban fleets may prioritise vulnerable road-user detection, while motorway drivers may benefit more from lane support and fatigue monitoring.

The immediate action is to update vehicle policies and choice lists before the next replacement cycle. Setting a clear fleet-wide safety specification can improve consistency, strengthen duty-of-care controls and prevent safer technology being lost through lower trim levels or cost-led procurement decisions.

Driver training should then explain how the systems work, when they intervene and where their limitations remain.

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