New cars must have technology to prevent mistakenly pressing the accelerator pedal.

Japan has issued a regulation requiring all new cars equipped with automatic transmissions to have technology that prevents drivers from mistakenly pressing the brake pedal instead of the accelerator.

A device to prevent mistakenly pressing the accelerator pedal. (Source: Kyodo)

The new regulation is aimed at reducing traffic accidents, often caused by elderly drivers, amid Japan's rapidly aging population, according to the Transport Ministry. The regulation is also in line with United Nations (UN) standards and is expected to take effect in June next year.

Speaking at a press conference in late June, Japanese Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said the country has proposed to make the technology an international standard from 2022. Japan will continue to prepare for new regulations and work to improve car safety. However, Saito did not specify the exact time of application of the regulation.

The technology works by limiting the vehicle's speed. If the driver mistakenly presses the accelerator within 1 to 1.5 meters of a large object, the vehicle will automatically stop before hitting it or slow down to below 8 km/h if a collision is unavoidable. At the same time, the in-car display will also display a "Release the accelerator" warning when the system is activated.

The Japanese Ministry of Transport will revise the current regulations after the UN officially agreed on the new regulations in November this year. Accordingly, automakers will have to equip this technology on all new models first, then apply it to existing models. Manual transmission vehicles are exempted from the new regulations because, according to the Ministry of Transport, this type of vehicle rarely has accidents due to mistakenly pressing the brake pedal instead of the accelerator pedal.

Most new cars in Japan now come equipped with similar technology, and some automakers are also offering products that can be retrofitted to existing vehicles.

According to statistics from the Japan Traffic Accident Data Analysis and Research Institute, in 2023, there were 3,110 accidents caused by drivers mistakenly pressing the brake pedal instead of the accelerator pedal, killing 38 people and injuring 4,343.

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