The Government has dropped its proposal to make a range of advanced safety features compulsory on vehicles imported into New Zealand, including used cars and heavy trucks.
NZTA says associate transport minister James Meager has decided not to proceed with the mandate, which was consulted on between October 29 and December 17 last year.
Meager had requested further analysis from officials before making a final decision.
The proposal would have required autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning or lane-keeping assistance and acoustic warning systems for hybrid and electric light vehicles entering the country.
Electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems were among the proposed requirements for imported heavy vehicles. Both technologies are already mandatory for light vehicles.
The proposed start dates were October 2026 for new light vehicle models and July 2027 for existing models and used imports.
NZTA says many new vehicles entering New Zealand are already fitted with the technologies and they are expected to become standard over time.
Analysis by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport found mandating the equipment would deliver limited additional safety benefits while potentially increasing vehicle costs.
VIA welcomes decision
The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association has welcomed the decision, saying it balances safety improvements with affordability and the need to renew New Zealand’s ageing vehicle fleet.
VIA chief executive Greig Epps says mandating technology before it is widely available in the affordable used vehicle market could reduce consumer choice and delay fleet renewal.
“We all want safer vehicles on New Zealand roads. The question has always been how we achieve that in a way that delivers the greatest benefit for New Zealand motorists,” Epps says.
“Mandating technology before it is widely available in the affordable used vehicle market risks making replacement vehicles more expensive and reducing the range of vehicles available to consumers.”
VIA estimated in its December submission that around half of the affordable used-import pipeline could be affected if the requirements began in July 2027.
It subsequently identified lane-support requirements as the largest potential obstacle for used imports.
VIA proposed later implementation dates of 2035 for autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning on used light vehicles, and 2037 for lane-keeping assistance.
Epps says the average used import is now around 10 to 11 years old, meaning safety technologies introduced on new vehicles overseas take time to enter New Zealand’s affordable used market.
“If regulation makes those replacement vehicles harder to obtain, people may keep their existing, older vehicles for longer. That can work against the very safety improvements the regulation is intended to achieve,” he says.
“Today’s decision does not mean abandoning vehicle safety improvements. It recognises that technology is already entering the market and that regulation needs to demonstrate benefits beyond what would happen naturally.”
Transporting NZ backed some truck requirements
Transporting New Zealand says the Government’s decision also means the proposed safety requirements will not proceed for imported heavy vehicles.
The road freight organisation surveyed members about the fitment rates of safety equipment on trucks purchased since 2023 and the level of support for making the technologies compulsory.
“With that feedback, we prepared a joint industry submission supporting mandating ESC and ABS for heavy vehicles, but not lane keep support systems until it was mandated in source markets, nor AEB for heavies until a global standard had been set,” Transporting New Zealand says.
The association’s position supported compulsory electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems for heavy vehicles while recommending a more cautious approach to lane-keeping technology and autonomous emergency braking.
However, the Government’s decision means none of the proposed safety technologies will be mandated for new or used light and heavy vehicle imports.
