Driver-assist warning lights and your WOF: AEB and lane keep assist
From 1 November 2026 a WOF checks for warning lights on automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist. Here's what that means.
October 10, 2026
The new WOF rules aren't only about how often. From 1 November 2026, WOF and COF A inspections also check two of the safety systems most newer cars have:
- Automatic emergency braking (AEB): brakes for you if you're about to hit something.
- Lane keep assist: steers you back if you drift out of your lane.
The inspector checks that no warning or malfunction light is showing for either system, on cars that have them. They don't test that the systems work; they check the car isn't telling you they're faulty.
When are your WOFs due?
Type your plate to see your next WOF dates and roughly what they'll cost.
Why the change
These systems are now a big part of what keeps modern cars safe, and the government made the check part of moving most cars to two-yearly WOFs. A camera knocked out of line by a windscreen replacement, or a sensor blocked by a bumper repair, can switch a system off without you noticing, apart from a light on the dash.
What to do if a light comes on
- Check the simple things. Many cars switch AEB or lane keep off when the camera behind the windscreen or the radar in the grille is dirty, iced or blocked. Clean them and restart the car.
- Check it's not just switched off. Some cars let you turn lane keep off and show a light when you do. Your handbook says which light means off and which means a fault.
- Get it looked at. A fault that stays needs a garage that can read the car's fault codes. After a windscreen replacement, the camera often needs recalibrating; ask the glass company if they do it.
Is my car affected?
Only if it has AEB or lane keep assist. Many cars from the late 2010s on do. Your handbook, or the car's spec sheet, will say.
NZTA is publishing more detail on the check before 1 November in its inspection manual.
Everything else that's changing
Check how often your car will need a WOF · Find a WOF near you
Source: NZTA.
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