EU's new in-car driver camera gets data protection green light, but safety proof is still missing

Since 1 July 2026, every new passenger car registered in the European Union must be equipped with an Advanced Driver Distraction Warning system (ADDW). The camera-based technology uses infrared sensors to scan the driver's face, head posture and gaze direction. If the driver's eyes stray from the road for too long, the system triggers an audible and visual alarm. The European Commission cites estimates from accident researchers that 10 to 30 percent of all road accidents in Europe are caused by distraction, with illegal smartphone use at the wheel the leading factor.

How the monitoring works

The ADDW is defined as a closed-loop system. Image data is processed in real time entirely inside the vehicle. As soon as a warning is issued or discarded, the raw data must be deleted immediately and irrevocably. Transmission to the cloud, to the car manufacturer, to insurers or to authorities is illegal. Biometric facial recognition for distraction warnings has been explicitly prohibited; the system does not identify who is behind the wheel. Some manufacturers also use more elaborate radar technology to detect children left behind in the car, but child presence detection (CPD) is not required by law.

Data protection assessment

Germany's Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information has pushed back against fears that the interior monitoring violates privacy rights. A spokesperson told the German Press Agency (dpa) that the authority is satisfied the data may not be passed on to third parties and must be erased immediately after processing.

To that extent, the legal regulation satisfies data protection requirements.

The spokesperson added that compliance can be checked by the data protection officers of the federal states. In cases of serious infringement, authorities can take coercive measures to enforce data protection law. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), as the market surveillance body, also has the power to carry out spot checks on whether vehicle types comply with the technical regulations and, if necessary, to order recalls.

Safety effect still open

Traffic psychologist Michael Praxenthaler from the Allianz Centre for Technology (AZT) considers automatic attention detectors a sensible additional safety measure in principle. However, he cautions that the real-world benefit is not yet proven.

The scientific field studies to date show that they can positively influence gaze behaviour. Concrete proof of a reduction in accident risk in real traffic is, however, still outstanding.

Praxenthaler stressed that the systems do not replace the need for distraction-free vehicle cockpit design.

Driver experience and deactivation

Drivers can switch off the interior monitoring via the vehicle settings, but the system automatically reactivates every time the engine is started, much like the Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) that warns of speeding. Permanent deactivation is not legally possible. Testers describe the calibration of many systems as extremely sensitive. A brief glance sideways at the landscape, searching for a song on the touchscreen or looking back at children in the rear seat often triggers incessant beeping. Reviews call the system tiring and frustrating because it penalises normal human behaviour. The criticism also extends to modern vehicle design: while lawmakers demand that drivers keep their eyes on the road, manufacturers are building ever larger touchscreens that pull attention away from driving.