Spain tightens driver‑monitoring rules, mandating interior cameras and fining radar detectors

Since 7 July, all new passenger cars registered in the European Union must be equipped with an interior driver‑monitoring camera (ADDW) that continuously tracks eye‑gaze to signal distraction. The EU regulation does not require independent audits, leaving the storage, transmission and retention of biometric video data to the manufacturers’ discretion. Past scandals at Tesla and General Motors, where driver images were shared with insurers, have raised privacy concerns. The European Commission plans to extend the system in 2027 to detect cognitive distraction, but still provides no external oversight mechanism. In Spain, the data‑protection authority has warned that misuse of such footage could breach national privacy law.

The Spanish traffic authority (DGT) also reminded motorists that installing radar detectors is prohibited. Possession of a detector incurs a fine of €200 and the loss of three licence points, while active radar‑inhibitors attract a €500 fine and six points. Only database‑based alert apps, such as those in Google Maps or Waze, are legal. The DGT treats the mere presence of a detector as equivalent to use, making vehicle owners liable as well as drivers.