EU to mandate driver monitoring cameras in all new cars by 2026

Did you know that starting in July 2026, your new car will have a camera staring directly at you while you drive? It is not science fiction: the European Union has approved the ADDW (Attention Detection Warning) regulation, which requires all new vehicles to incorporate a driver monitoring system using interior cameras. The official goal is to detect distraction and drowsiness to reduce accidents. Data is processed in real-time inside the vehicle and, according to the rules, cannot perform biometric identification of the occupant or be stored continuously. Furthermore, the driver can manually deactivate the system, although it reactivates every time the engine starts.

How the unblinking eye works
The ADDW system tracks eye movement, head position, and attention levels. If it detects that the driver looks away from the road for several seconds or shows signs of drowsiness, it emits an audible or visual alert. It cannot—at least on paper—lock the car or issue automatic fines. It is also not authorized to share video with insurance companies, although suspicion remains: "Insurers are rubbing their hands together," an analysis suggests, regarding the possibility of using these records to deny coverage.

The paradox is that while the EU mandates this system to ensure you don't look away, the same cars are removing physical buttons and forcing users to manage climate control or radio via touchscreens, precisely causing the distraction the regulation aims to avoid. One user, who has had a model with an interior camera since 2018, reports that the alert went off every 20-30 minutes due to low ocular tension, and that even with sunglasses, the system would malfunction. With current artificial intelligence, false positives could multiply.

Costs, obsolescence, and the second-hand market
The automotive industry, already suffering from falling sales and factory closures—Volkswagen has announced the layoff of 100,000 workers—is facing another regulatory burden that increases vehicle prices. A basic Dacia costing around 20,000 euros could rise to 25,000 euros with ADDW and other mandatory systems. "They don't care about safety; they just want to make cars more expensive so almost no one can buy them," says one critic.

As a consequence, many drivers are choosing not to upgrade and are instead looking for second-hand cars manufactured before 2026, which extends the life of the existing fleet but also delays the transition to safer vehicles. The durability of these components is also a concern: after 7-8 years, cameras and sensors may fail, and without replacements, the car would fail the ITV (Spanish vehicle inspection). They call this "throwaway ecology."

What about the United States?
Across the Atlantic, the NHTSA has also ordered similar technology to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol or fatigue, with a mandate set for 2027. Although specifications differ, the approach is the same: placing a camera in the cabin. The difference is that in the EU, the regulation explicitly prohibits biometric identification and mandates local processing, something that is not as guaranteed in the US.

Between safety and Big Brother
The debate is wide open: while some applaud the measure as a step forward against reckless drivers—"the roads are full of drunks and riffraff," they argue—others see it as another step toward total surveillance. "A precursor to monitoring everyone even inside their own cars," they warn. The regulation, at least in its current wording, leaves some leeway: it allows the system to be deactivated, even if it reactivates upon every start. But distrust in European bureaucracy is such that some are already preparing electrical tape to cover the camera.

With these factors at play, the question remains: do we really need an electronic eye to correct us every time we look at our phones at a red light? Perhaps what we need is more common sense and fewer regulations that, like the airbags of the 90s, will eventually become normalized. But in the meantime, the industry, insurers, and drivers are preparing for a new era of assisted... or monitored... driving. Depending on how you look at it.