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Jul 31, 2025  |  
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NextImg:UK-made cars could be forced to include breathalysers and 'black boxes' as Labour sides with EU

Any new cars built in the UK could see breathalysers and black box-style recorders fitted under new European Union plans.

Reports suggest that the Government will look to adopt EU rules that are designed to make vehicles safer, despite condemnation from Brexiteers.

The Department for Transport has written to manufacturers to make a commitment to an "explicit presumption of alignment".

There have been concerns in recent years that the manufacturing industry in the UK would struggle to align with key safety factors following Brexit.

 

GB in EU flag, Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves and a car production factory

PA/GETTY

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Labour could change laws to align with the EU and mandate new features in all new cars

However, the new "alignment" suggests that the UK will look to align with the European Union to ensure automakers are not hampered when making cars for the two different markets.

After the UK left the EU, Brussels introduced the General Safety Regulation 2, which set out principles to make cars safer with the fitting of key components.

These included a pre-installed interface to allow a breathalyser locking system to be installed, as well as Event Data Recorders, which are similar to black boxes found in aircraft.

The Driver Drowsiness Warning should also be installed to alert motorists to concentrate on the road if the car detects that they may be feeling sleepy or falling asleep.

Car productionPA |

The EU safety regulations are expected to be adopted by manufacturers in the UK

While the GSR2 rules apply to all cars sold in Northern Ireland, they do not apply to England, Scotland and Wales, although this could change to align rules between the UK and the bloc.

The Telegraph reported that the Government wanted to protect the UK's internal market by adopting the GSR2 rules, allowing drivers in Northern Ireland to continue buying from the mainland.

A spokesperson for the Government said: "Following the UK’s exit from the EU, differences between UK and EU regulations mean some manufacturers make cars specifically for the GB market.

"This can add costs to the manufacturing process, which are liable to be passed onto GB consumers, so we're considering aligning with EU car safety regulations to keep car prices down."

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said the alignment made sense, given the integrated nature of the UK and EU car market.

He added that this move would keep costs down for consumers and allow drivers to have the widest possible choice of vehicles.

However, the move has been slammed by certain politicians over concerns it was moving the UK and EU closer, despite the clear split after Brexit.

In particular, Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP claimed that aligning the UK with Brussels was part of a "plan" by Labour to undermine Brexit.

He said: "They are sneaking this through because statutory instruments do not end up in debate.

"This is a game being played out where they keep incrementally moving back towards the European Union."

The Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green warned that it would impact the UK's trade potential as "some faceless bureaucrats in Brussels run the UK".

The former Conservative leader said the UK would "lose all the competition" and control of trade abroad.