​What Is the GSR?

The General Safety Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 introduced a range of mandatory safety features for newly approved vehicles across Europe.

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The legislation is designed to improve road safety by reducing collisions involving pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users while helping drivers avoid accidents through the use of advanced driver assistance technologies (ADAS).

 

Many of these technologies are now becoming standard on newly manufactured commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and passenger vehicles.

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Why was GSR Introduced?

 

Every year, thousands of serious road traffic collisions occur because drivers are unable to see hazards, react quickly enough or are affected by fatigue and distraction.

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The General Safety Regulation encourages manufacturers to equip vehicles with intelligent safety systems that can:

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• Improve driver awareness

• Detect vulnerable road users

• Assist with collision avoidance

• Reduce blind spots

• Monitor driver behaviour

• Improve overall road safety

 

The long-term goal is to significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Europe's roads.​​​​

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Key Vehicle Safety Technologies

Depending on the vehicle category and date of manufacture, the General Safety Regulation may require advanced safety systems such as:

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• Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA)

• Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS)

• Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA)

• Driver Drowsiness & Attention Warning (DDAW)

• Blind Spot Information Systems (BSIS)

• Moving Off Information Systems (MOIS)

• Reversing Detection Systems

• Event Data Recorders (EDR)

• Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)

• Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)

 

These technologies work together to improve driver awareness and reduce the likelihood of collisions.

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How does GSR affect Fleet Operators?

 

While the regulation primarily applies to newly manufactured vehicles, fleet operators should be aware that many of the latest safety technologies are now becoming standard across the industry.

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Businesses replacing or expanding their fleet may notice that newer vehicles include advanced driver assistance systems as standard.

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For older vehicles, retrofit safety equipment can still provide significant improvements in visibility and driver awareness, helping operators exceed minimum safety requirements and support wider fleet safety objectives.

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Which vehicles are affected by GSR?

 

​The General Safety Regulation (GSR) also applies to trucks applies to heavy-duty trucks in the European Union (EU) that have a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes. This includes a wide range of commercial vehicles such as freight trucks, delivery vans, buses, and coaches.

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When do GSR requirements come into force?

The General Safety Regulation (GSR) came into force from 2022, depending on age of the vehicle and vehicle type.

 

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