Last Saturday's Telegraph column discussed problems with the operation of electric handbrakes. The 1978 Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (regulation 13, para. 2 (b) (i)) say that the parking brake must operate using direct mechanical action, without the intervention of any hydraulic, electric or pneumatic device.

I have not been able to find any later regulations that modify this.

How do Citroen (and other manufacturers) get round this regulation so as to sell their cars with electrically activated handbrakes?