Lane keeping tech set to be mandatory in new cars

Lane keeping safety systems are on track to become mandatory in all new cars launched in Australia from March 2024.

The federal government set the wheels in motion today with the release of a regulation impact statement, opening up dialogue with interested parties as it seeks to make electronic lane keeping systems (LKS) mandatory from March 1, 2024.

Bringing Australian Design Rules into line with looming EU regulations, the mandate would apply to all new passenger cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles – including the top-selling utes – with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of less than 3500kg.

Current models already on sale in new-car showrooms would have until March 1, 2026, to fit LKS as standard.

The recommendation comes just a month after the federal government mandated autonomous emergency braking (AEB) in all new cars, which will come into effect from March 1, 2023.

LKS systems warn the driver when they are approaching the edge of a lane, and can intervene to steer the vehicle back into the lane if an unintentional lane departure is detected.

Announcing the government’s latest move on vehicle safety, assistant minister to the deputy prime minister Kevin Hogan said that mandating LKS would help save lives by preventing a range of crash types including head-on collisions, side-swipes and single car run-off road crashes.

“These types of crashes result in 55 per cent of all road fatalities, and this number increases to 72 per cent at highway speeds,” he said.

“A mandate could reduce the number of fatal light vehicle crashes by 11.9 per cent, saving 6989 lives, and avoid around 23,648 serious and 7385 minor injuries over 35 years.

“A new standard for LKS is also expected to return a net benefit of around $2.44 billion to the Australian economy over the same timeframe.”

If passed, the new regulation would become ADR 107/00 and, according to government figures, would increase the percentage of new vehicles sold with LKS technology from 61 per cent today to 85 per cent by 2027.

Interested parties are invited to make a submission on the proposed LKS mandate before the deadline of February 27, 2022. Click here for further information.