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7th framework programme of the European Commission, DG MOVE


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Compulsory safety standards in road vehicles (Driver assistance systems, seat belt reminder, eCall, vehicle-infrastructure interface, etc.)

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.7 / Subcat-No.7.4-2

General Information

Title

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.7 / Subcat-No.7.4-2

Category

7. Research and innovation

Subcategory

7.4 Framework: transport safety

Transport policy measure (TPM)

Compulsory safety standards in road vehicles (Driver assistance systems, seat belt reminder, eCall, vehicle-infrastructure interface, etc.)

Description of TPM

In 2009, more than 35,000 people died on the roads of the European Union and about 1.5 million persons have been injured. Road safety is a major societal issue and causes huge costs (approximately 130 billion EU in 2009) for society. Although significant improvements concerning road safety have been made, there still has to be done much more to reach the European 'zero vision' target (zero fatalities on European roads by 2050). [3]
Technology is expected to contribute substantially to reach the 'zero vision' target for road transport. Road safety technologies are:
- advanced driver assistance systems
- (smart) speed limiters- seat belt reminders
- 'eCall'. This is a device which alerts rescue services automatically when a road crash occurs.
- cooperative systems such as congestion warning systems and travel time prognoses based on current traffic and road conditions.
- vehicle - infrastructure interfaces and
- improved roadworthiness tests = vehicle inspection (including for alternative propulsion systems) [1][2].
This TPM focusses on technical safety systems, with special regard to: driver assistance systems and vehicle-infrastructure interface.
- Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are designed to support the driver in the driving process by taking over some vehicle control responsibilities. Prior to full automation there will be a stage of partial automation where technology will take over some vehicle control tasks. This means the driver is still responsible for driving, but some tasks will be managed by the ADAS. Examples are: lane departure warning, anti collision warning or pedestrian recognition systems.[4]
- Vehicle-infrastructure interface (V2I = Vehicle-to-infrastructure) is a technology designed to directly linking road vehicles to their physical surroundings (infrastructure). Through a wireless exchange of safety and operational data between vehicles and (road) infrastructure the system is intended primarily to avoid or mitigate motor vehicle crashes. Furthermore, it will also lead to a wide range of other safety, mobility, and environmental benefits. Examples are: speed advice for green wave at traffic lights, routing to avoid congestion and area wide traffic information provision.[5]

Implementation examples

Applicable implementation examples of ADAS [9]:
- Fuel efficiency advisor- Lane departure warning system
- In-vehicle navigation system with typically GPS and TMC for providing up-to-date traffic information.
- Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
- Collision avoidance system (Precrash system)
- Intelligent speed adaptation or intelligent speed advice (ISA)
- Night Vision
- Adaptive light control
- Automatic parking
- Traffic sign recognition
Examples of V2I [8]:
- Speed warnings in relation to curves, school zones and work zones, poor weather conditions
- Pedestrian protection system

Objectives of TPM

Road accidents cause huge economic and human costs to society. Reducing the number of fatalities and injuries is one of the priority actions of the European Commission [1]. Furthermore, technical safety systems can help optimising traffic flows and reduce the risk of congestion.

Choice of transport mode / Multimodality

No key changes

Origin and/or destination of trip

No key changes

Trip frequency

No key changes

Choice of route

V2I systems provide real time traffic information which will lead to different choices of routes adjusted to congestion, accidents, avalaible parking and other traffic information [6].

Timing (day, hour)

No key changes

Occupancy rate / Loading factor

No key changes

Energy efficiency / Energy usage

Slightly more energy efficient driving can be expected, but is no key change concerning fuel consumption.

Main source

[1] European Commission (2011): Commission Staff Working document . Accompanying the White Paper - Roadmap to a single European transport area. SEC(2011)391. Brussels
[2] European Transport Safety Council (2011): Towards a Vision Zero for Road Safety in Europe, News Release, Brussels: ECTS
[3] European Commission (2010): Towards a European road safety area: policy orientations on road safety 2011-2020. COM(2010) 389 final. Brussels
[4] International Harmonized Research Activities (2010): Design Principles for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems - Keeping Drivers In-the-Loop, Working Group on ITS
[5] U.S. Department of Transport (2010): Roadway Geometry and Inventory - Trade Study for IntelliDrive Applications, Georgetown Pike: Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
[6] CVIS - Cooperative vehicle-infrastructure systems (2010): Exploring the possibilities offered by next generation infrastructure vehicle communications in tackling urban transport challenges, Brussels
[7] European Commission (2010): Definition of necessary vehicle and infrastructure systems for Automated Driving, SMART 2010/0064, Brussels: DG Information Society and Media
[8] Federal Highway Administration (2011). Research for V2I Communication and Safety Applications. 2011 ITE Technical Conference, Orlando, Florida.
[9] euroFOT (2012). European Large-Scale Field Operational Tests on In-Vehicle Systems. Final deliverable. 7th Framework programme.
[10] euroFOT (2012). European Large-Scale Field Operational Tests on In-Vehicle Systems. Overall cost-benefit study. http://www.eurofot-f

Traffic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Travel or transport time

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Risk of congestion

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vehicle mileage

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Service and comfort

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Travel time for road vehicle will decrease through V2I and ADAS. Mainly, because these technology systems will increase efficiency of road use [6].
- V2I and ADAS technology will not only be beneficial for road safety, but will also create a more homogeneous traffic flow. Besides, V2I will provide road users with real time traffic information which will enable drivers to adjust their routing and be able to avoid congestion [3].
- Vehicle mileage will be less consistent as it used to be. Road users will be able to adapt their routing based on real-time traffic information. This will lead to additional vehicle mileage when V2I systems suggest a longer route to avoid congestion or free parking spaces. But, this will not lead to substantial changes, because ADAS and V2I will reduce the risk of congestion and accidents. Which means, that alternative (longer) routing will be limited. Altogether, vehicle mileage will stay more or less the same [6].
- Service and comfort will increase through reduced congestion, predictable journey times and lower vehicle operation costs (due to more economical driving behaviour caused by ADAS and V2I) [9]. These clear benefits will go hand in hand with some minor disadvantages of the safety systems: First, privacy is a big issue for private car users. A systems which demands private car users to build a black box in their vehicle which saves data all the time will encouter heavy resistance from users. Second, public acceptance is currently low as drivers do not want to feel that they are losing control of their vehicle [6].
- Optimizing the road usage, e.g. by minimizing the distance to vehicles in front and minimizing brake actions that lead to sudden braking (causing accidents and congestion). This will lead to a more homogeneous traffic flow [7].

Quantification of impacts


Economic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Transport costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Private income / commercial turn over

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Revenues in the transport sector

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sectoral competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spatial competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Housing expenditures

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Insurance costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Health service costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public authorities & adm. burdens on businesses

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public income (e.g.: taxes, charges)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Third countries and international relations

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Shorter travel and transport times will reduce transport costs. Furthermore, reduced maintenance and insurance costs will be flatten out by purchase costs of road safety technology systems (related to ADAS systems). The net effect is not clear at this moment. [6]
- Health service costs will decline through decreasing number of fatalties and injuries through road accidents. [1] [3]
- Public bodies will be faced with costs for the construction of needed infrastructure. Additionally, they will be responsible for maintenance and operating costs of technology systems (related to V2I systems). [6]

Quantification of impacts

For trucks, the use of ACC (adaptive cruise control) combined with FCW (forward collision warning) has a very positive benefit-cost ratio between 3.9 and 5.2. It is therfore clearly beneficial from the societal point of view. For cars, the attainable benefits are not sufficient to compensate for the costs. The benefit-cost ratio ranges between 0.5 and 0.7; the system is either too expensive or users on average drive too less km to pay off the “investment”. The ACC+FCW system represents foremost a comfort system. These effects are however not subject of monetarisation in a transport-focused cost-benefit analysis. [10]

Social Impacts
Environmental Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Air pollutants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Noise emissions

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Visual quality of the landscape

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Land use

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Climate

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Renewable or non-renewable resources

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Innovative ADAS and V2I systems will encourage changes to more sustainable driving styles and behaviour which enhance sustainability and will help reduce traffic pollution emissions (NOx, PM and CO2) [7].

Quantification of impacts


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