Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Revision of Automotive Safety Standards… Mandatory Automatic Headlight Activation at Night and Strengthened Rear Safety for Large Vehicles

*This content was translated by AI.

The government has significantly revised relevant automotive safety standards to assist drivers in securing visibility during nighttime operations and to prevent rear-end collisions. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will promulgate and enforce a partial revision of the "Rules on Performance and Standards of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts" effective on the 5th.

This revision reflects technological advancements and international standards while focusing on reducing safety blind spots on the roads. The most notable change is the mandatory implementation of 'automatic activation of high-beam headlights to ensure safety during nighttime driving'. Accordingly, when the ambient illuminance around the vehicle drops below 1,000 lux, high-beam headlights must automatically turn on, and within the range of 1,000 to 7,000 lux, automatic on/off switching may be adjusted. However, when in parking position (P) or when the parking brake is engaged, the lights may remain off, but they must automatically turn on immediately once the conditions for turning off are lifted.

Standards for brake light activation to prevent rear-end collisions have also been relaxed. Previously, brake lights were restricted from turning on only when deceleration was less than 0.7m/s² during operation of automatic control braking or electric regenerative braking systems, but this threshold has been lowered to 1.3m/s² or less.This allows for the reduction of fatigue for rear drivers caused by excessive brake light activation while still conveying effective braking signals. Physical standards to minimize rear-end collision damage for large vehicles have been significantly strengthened. The test load standard for the rear safety plate of large vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 8 tons has been raised from a maximum of 100 kilonewtons to 180 kilonewtons.

In addition, for towed vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tons or more, the allowable deformation limit for the safety plate to absorb impact and be pushed in during a rear-end collision has been tightened from a maximum of 400 millimeters to 300 millimeters. Safety devices for camping vehicles, which have seen a recent surge in demand, have also been supplemented. Going forward, carbon monoxide gas leak alarms that have passed product inspections under the Fire Services Act must be mandatorily installed inside the cabin of camper vans. In addition, new standards for driver support advanced steering systems equipped with remote control driving and risk mitigation functions have been established, enhancing alignment with international standards for autonomous driving.

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*This content was translated by AI.