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Rapid Advances in Active Safety Systems 

27 March, 2004

Modern vehicles are overwhelmingly better than they used to be in every way, and not least in terms of safety. Improvements in vehicle safety have contributed significantly to reducing road deaths and injuries and will continue to do so. Government sees technology as a vital ally across our transport policy, and particularly in safety issues.

In the past many of the innovations have been in the field of passive safety. Now, however, we will see rapid advances in active safety systems.

All manufacturers have sophisticated safety design processes and they work together through their trade associations to develop standards usually well ahead of any legislative process. Indeed some of these industry standards demand changes in legislation to allow for their introduction. Visteon, for example, has pioneered an adaptive lighting system which cannot be introduced without such a change to regulations.

Pedestrian Safety - The European Council and Parliament have now adopted proposals submitted by the European Commission aimed at mitigating the severity of injuries to pedestrians. All new vehicle models will have to pass a number of tests. In a first phase, starting in 2005, new types of vehicles must comply with two tests concerning protection against head and leg injuries. In a second phase, starting in 2010, four tests of increased severity (two tests each for head and leg injuries) will be required for new types of vehicles. These tests are based on the recommendations of the European Enhanced Vehicle Committee (EEVC).

The European legislation acknowledges the possibility that other active safety measures could be introduced in the future, as alternatives to the EEVC tests. These alternative measures could be introduced, following a feasibility assessment to be carried out by July 2004, to see if they have at least equal protective effects to the EEVC tests.

Source: Road Safe