The EU executive said it has approved specific frequencies for short-range radars that can detect collision dangers and automatically apply a cars brakes.

The technology should be available by mid-2005, it said, urging car makers to immediately take advantage of the move.

"Short-range radar can save lives," said Viviane Reding, the EU commissioner responsible for the decision, which opens radio bands while preventing radio interference to other essential users of these frequencies.

"The commission thereby provides a sound legal basis for an EU-wide market for short-range radar technology. I hope the automotive industry will make full use of this opportunity," added Reding.

Anti-crash devices have been around for some time, but to permit their legal use an EU-wide radio frequency band had to be made available which would not interfere with other equipment such as mobile phones or police radars.

The EU decision is the first large-scale application in Europeo of Ultra-wide Band, a low-power wireless technology that re-uses spectrum already employed by other radio services.

All rights reserved. copyright 2018 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.