The aim of this study is to offer an insight into the costs and benefits associated with a range of existing or forthcoming electronic aids for heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches). The cost benefit assessment performed was based exclusively on the possible costs or benefits related to road hazard (accidents saved or potentially caused), and the costs of purchase and exploitation of the necessary equipment. Two points of view were applied and compared in this regard: that of the user (the transporter) and that of the community. It is concluded that the available data sources are incomplete concerning those aspects needed to realise a comprehensive cost benefit assessment. In addition, the sources are only partly compatible. The `firmest' conclusion is that the transporters and the community have a totally unequal interest in the application of the equipment. Equipment that is still relatively economical for the transporter and also offers great benefits to the community are: (1) in the shorter term: visual aids such as vision enhancement and blind corner detectors, and the black box introduction; (2) in the longer term: applications that control driving speed, such as Intelligent Cruise Control, anti-collision systems, and aids for keeping on course.
Samenvatting