New cars must be equipped with driver assistance systems and an accident data recorder, while new fast electric bicycles must be fitted with a speedometer.
With these decisions taken at the end of December, the government wants to ensure that new vehicles feature the latest safety systems.
The driver assistance systems prescribed from April 1 are used, for example, to warn of fatigue and distractions, as well as to perform automatic emergency braking in the event of danger. They also provide assistance when reversing and maneuvering.
Pedestrian protection
Improved vehicle components, also prescribed from Monday onwards, should ensure that the impact is less violent in the event of an accident, thus providing better protection for pedestrians and cyclists.
Truck and bus drivers are to have a better field of vision in blind spots to the front and sides of the vehicle. Touring coaches and buses, on the other hand, have to meet more stringent requirements in terms of rollover and fire protection.
Bike speedometers
Fast electric bikes will have to be fitted with a speedometer from Monday. This applies to pedal-assist devices capable of speeds of up to 45 km/h. A CHF20 ($22) fine will be imposed for driving without a speedometer.
“All too often, cyclists underestimate their speed. This is particularly true of people on fast e-bikes, who sometimes exceed the speed limit in 20 or 30 km/h zones without realising it,” says Michael Rytz, road safety expert at the Transport and Environment Association, a Bern-based lobbying group.
“However, respecting the speed limit is essential to the coexistence and safety of people using these zones. Being able to check your speed will certainly help,” he adds.
The obligation to equip fast e-bikes with a speedometer will initially apply only to new bikes sold from April onwards, according to the Touring Club of Switzerland, a motoring organisation. Vehicles already on the road must be equipped by April 2027.
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Coercion still an issue in Swiss welfare system, report finds
This content was published on
The rights of people in vulnerable situations are sometimes disregarded within the Swiss social welfare system, according to a national research programme.
This content was published on
Viola Amherd has expressed her “deep shock” at the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday.
This content was published on
A man injured half a dozen people with knives, two of them seriously, before being arrested on Wednesday in northern Switzerland.
Switzerland to introduce flight passenger database
This content was published on
Switzerland plans to introduce a flight passenger database to collect and process personal data in a bid to combat terrorism and serious crime.
Government plans to invest over CHF16bn in Swiss rail network
This content was published on
The federal government intends to invest CHF16.4 billion ($18.1 billion) in railway infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, CHF2 billion more than for the current period.
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will vote on occupational pension schemes and a biodiversity initiative on September 22, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
Ukraine peace talks: 50 countries have confirmed participation
This content was published on
To date, 50 countries out 160 invited delegations have confirmed they will attend the Ukraine peace conference, held in central Switzerland in mid-June, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.