Government ditches new mandates for imports

The government has made a U-turn over proposals to mandate some advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) for light vehicles imported into New Zealand.

James Meager, Associate Minister of Transport, has decided against going ahead with the plan after consultation, which ran from October 29 to December 17 last year.

The proposal would have required lane-departure warning or lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, and an acoustic warning system for EVs and hybrids on imported light vehicles. 

The start dates would have been October 2026 for new models, and July 2027 for existing models and used imports.

In addition, electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems would have become mandatory for new and used heavy vehicles.

Meager, pictured, notes many new vehicles crossing the border are already fitted with these features, which are expected to become standard over time. 

“This means the proposed requirements would primarily bring forward uptake likely to occur anyway,” says an NZTA spokesperson. 

“Analysis by Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport officials showed mandating the features would provide limited additional safety benefits while potentially increasing vehicle costs.

“Thank you for your interest in this work and to everyone who took the time to make a submission. Your feedback helped inform the decision.”