The background of this study is that many so called Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) are currently developed and introduced in passenger vehicles aiming at providing increased traffic safety. This provides a need to assess and evaluate the traffic safety effect of these systems. This report highlights how the effects of these systems on the traffic safety are evaluated and gives a review of some ITS that currently (2007) can be found in the car fleet. The method that has been used in the literature review consisted of a literature search in bibliographic databases resulting in identification of 300 references of which the most relevant are found in this report. In addition, discussions with researchers in the transport sector were carried out and searches were done using the Internet. The technical systems described in the report were selected on the basis of that they should be "technically complicated" meaning that they have a potential to improve traffic safety by reducing the number of crashes or by reducing the crash severity when a crash occurs and also be available in the production of vehicles. In the report 20 systems or groups of systems are described. The report contains a description of the background of why and how the systems have been developed, in which vehicles they can be found as well as details about suppliers when applicable, a short technical description about how the system works, publication of traffic safety effects when such have been found in the literature and future development plans. On the topic of statistical methods an overview of how they work and the results that have been published using these methods on ITS are described. In addition, the report contains a chapter consisting of a summary of ways of assessing safety effects of new products or methods from other areas such as food, nuclear power and pharmaceutical industries. The conclusion of the review is that many intelligent systems that aim at supporting the driver in driving in a safe way have been developed and more will be developed. Many systems that could improve traffic safety are labelled as comfort or driver support systems. There are currently many different ways of supporting the driver in the task of driving the vehicle without becoming involved in a crash. Regarding the estimated and achieved impact on traffic safety from these systems it is still in many respects an open question which evaluation methods to use. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting