Well, in fact it is a EU regulation 2021/646 here. Regulations take effect immediately once signed, or at a specific date mentioned, and connects to national laws.
I just did a check how this regulation landed in the UK. It has not. On July 11th this year an article was posted on the fleetnews.co.uk site that several parties had sent a letter to the transport secretary urging her to adopt GSR2. This GSR2 includes the aspects of the eu regulation I mentione above (effective as per 2022) and several of the latest gimmicks such as an intelligent speed assist and...yes, ELKS.
ELKS initially was described as a system that contains warnings when crossing lane markers(1) and a corrective function to keep you in that lane(2). The latest description of ELKS specifically mentions prevention of frontal collisions when leaving the lane (3). Hence, it needs cameras in the outside mirrors.
If you have a Luxury you will have the three types already: Alert mode, Lane Departure Assist and Emergency Lane Keeping. The last one is already available on many cars, but is was't mandatory before July 2024.
One of the interesting things about the original regulation (prior to 2024) was that the systems were limited to their purpose and circumstances. Whereas the Warning system was allowed to trigger signals when crossing solid and dashed lines, a steering intervention was only allowed when crossing solid lines (eu regulation 2021/646, page 2 under 6.)! Reason: to prevent unneccesary interventions! Many brands simply ignored this. And this, amongst others, is exactly where the MG4 system fails to work properly......
Question is, if GSR2 is going to be implemented, will the UK stick to ELKS only operative when crossing solid lines? In that case, MG has some work to do.
I will check the implementation in the EU for the same reason.
GSR2 is nothing else but an update of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144. This is generic regulation about all mandatory systems on cars, such as ELK systems. Regulation (EU) 2021/646, which specifically describes the ELK systems, has not been updated. This means it is still the standard for the implementation of ELK systems.
This is positive thing because the following still applies:
1. An emergency lane-keeping system (ELKS) shall comprise a lane departure warning system (LDWS)
(Alert mode in MG4) and a corrective directional control function (CDCF)
(Lane Departure Assist or Emergency Lane Keeping mode).
2. The emergency lane-keeping system is a driver assisting system that should provide warning to the driver and correct the trajectory only when the driver is unintentionally leaving the lane.
3. In order to avoid unnecessary interventions by the emergency lane-keeping system, which may prompt the driver to switch the system off and thus lead to loss of potential safety benefit, the emergency lane-keeping system
should be required only to warn the driver and not to correct the vehicle trajectory when crossing dashed-lane markings.
4. When activated and operated within the prescribed speed range, the LDWS shall be able to warn the driver at the latest if the vehicle crosses over a visible lane marking for the lane in which it is running by more than a DTLM of – 0,3 m:
(c)
for solid line and dashed lane markings in line with one of those described in Annex 3 (Visible lane marking identification) to Regulation No 130 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) – Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor vehicles with regard to the Lane Departure Warning System (3)
and on other markings expected on EU roads;
(however, for testing purposes they only refer to No 130!)
5. In the absence of conditions leading to deactivation or suppression of the system, the CDCF shall be able to prevent lane departure by crossing of visible lane markings in the scenarios shown in the following table by more than a DTLM of – 0,3 m:
(c) for
solid lane markings in line with one of those described in Annex 3 (Visible lane marking identification) to UN Regulation No 130;
(confirming the above statement of operational limitations ELK systems).
Moreover, about deactivation:
6. The manual deactivation of the full ELKS shall not be possible with less than two deliberate actions, e.g. press and hold on a button, or select and confirm on menu option. In other words, press and holding a button is sufficient
(confirmed in docs elsewhere).
Summary
A. Mg4 Alert mode should function
on any decent EU road, and on those described in UN regulation 130. This covers many if not all UK roads as well.
It doesn't. As an example, double solids as lane separators are not recognized on my Trophy. End there many of such roads here, all above 60 kmh.
B.LDA or ELK mode is
not allowed to intervene with the steering when crossing dashed lane markings. This means it should act as in Alert mode.
It does not. In the two MG4 modes it does apply steering adjustments when crossing dashed lines.
C. Disabling or enabling promptly lane assist, as adviced by MG themselves, can be arranged by press and hold the infotainment button. Single press does normal switching.
Particularly A. and B. mean that the ELK systems on an MG4 are not compliant with EU regulations. And, if the UK follows these regulations, neither are they compliant in the UK.
This will be may the major argument against MG NL (Benelux in fact). I will start the procedure in September, after I get back from a short holiday. Unless someone else explains to me that I'm wrong....
