Japan will oblige domestic automakers to have all new and remodeled passenger cars equipped with automatic brakes from November 2021 amid a rise in the number of accidents involving elderly drivers, the government said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will also apply stricter standards on automatic brake systems in line with a U.N. international standard that is set to come into effect next month.
"Accidents caused by elderly drivers are a pressing issue that needs to be tackled by mobilizing every possible measure," transport minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told a news conference.