South Korea: New Passenger Vehicles to Be Equipped with Misacceleration Mitigation Systems from 2029

On October 23, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of South Korea announced that starting in 2029, all newly manufactured small passenger vehicles and small commercial vehicles in the country must be equipped with misacceleration mitigation systems to reduce traffic accidents caused by unintended acceleration.

According to Yonhap News Agency, under the South Korean government's plan to revise automotive safety standards, the above regulation will apply to passenger vehicles manufactured or imported from January 2029 onwards. When the system detects an obstacle within 1 to 1.5 meters in front of or behind the stationary vehicle, it must restrict the engine output power if the driver mistakenly presses the accelerator pedal.

The South Korean government plans to extend the above requirements to vans, trucks, and special vehicles under 3.5 tons from January 2030.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also stated that it will require newly produced electric vehicles to be equipped with battery life indicators to help drivers stay informed about the status of the onboard battery. According to an official from the ministry, enabling consumers to monitor the actual condition of the battery in real time will help enhance confidence in electric vehicles and also "promote the development of the battery remanufacturing and recycling industry."

Japan introduced similar regulations in June this year, requiring all newly launched automatic transmission passenger vehicles to be equipped with misacceleration mitigation systems from September 2028, with imported vehicles subject to the relevant regulations from September 2029.