The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 27th that it will become legal to install pedal misoperation prevention devices on cars already in operation. Until now, there were no separate certification standards, so installation was allowed only on a limited basis through a regulatory sandbox pilot exemption, but going forward, people will be able to buy certified products and have them installed at repair shops.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) said it has prepared certification standards for tuning parts for the "pedal malfunction prevention device" in the Automobile Management Act and put them into effect starting today. Under the standards, when a vehicle is stationary or traveling at 30 kph or less and pedal misoperation is detected, the device must activate and be able to reduce the vehicle's speed by 30% or more. It must also allow the driver to recognize the misoperation through visual and auditory cues.
A pedal misoperation prevention device controls the vehicle so that acceleration does not occur when the driver mistakenly presses the accelerator instead of the brake in a situation that requires braking. A partial amendment to the Regulations on Performance and Standards for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts, which would mandate installation of related devices on new cars starting in 2029, was preannounced for legislation in Oct. last year.
Manufacturers must undergo testing by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) and obtain certification of compliance with the tuning part certification standards, and consumers can purchase certified products and have them installed on their vehicles. Installing uncertified products constitutes illegal tuning.
An official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) said, "There have been many accidents recently in places such as Jeju Island due to pedal misoperation, and this aims to prevent them," adding, "We expect the distribution of 'pedal misoperation prevention devices' with ensured safety and reliability to become more active by establishing certification standards for tuning parts."