The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) welcomes the proposals for an Action Plan and accompanying Directive for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Intelligent Transport Systems are based on intelligence placed at the roadside and in the vehicle. By means of communication between these systems and road users road safety can also be advanced. We can divide ITS into primarily vehicle based technologies (ESC, Alcohol Interlocks, Seat Belt Reminders, ISA) and primarily infrastructure based technologies (eCall, Dynamic Traffic Management). Other new ITS applications may also be on the way in the future that we do not yet know about. So it is vital that the ITS action plan is flexible enough to quickly implement other new lifesaving technologies. The introduction of technologies and structures included in these proposals will contribute to reducing the 43,000 annual deaths on Europe’s roads. The European vehicle industry faces a time of crisis. Beating off the international competition will be a challenge but developing its safety credentials and profiling itself as the producers of the world’s safest vehicles can play a crucial role. This is also why ETSC supports progress on ITS which will enable technologies tackling safety risks to be developed. Such initiatives will help us to build on the EU’s reputation as the home of safe vehicle innovation now and in the future. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting