It is almost ten years since automatic crash notification (ACN) systems started to appear in vehicles in the United States and Japan. Studies of established and pilot systems have shown the benefits that can be derived from their use. However, the uptake of such systems has been slow, and they have only started to appear in Australian vehicles in recent months. The opportunity exists for Australia to learn from overseas experience in the operation of such systems, and to provide a uniform and efficient infrastructure giving consistent operation across the nation. The opportunity also exists to encourage the provision of ACN features whenever premium accessories such as satellite-based navigation and vehicle tracking are fitted. (Author/publisher)
Abstract