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All new road vehicles should be fitted with an automated emergency response function, while lorries should have technology to prevent “blind-spot” deaths, according to a report on intelligent transport systems from the IMechE.
The automated emergency response system, known as eCall, uses sensors on the airbag, seat-belt retractors and collision warning systems of cars to detect an impact. The system then automatically alerts the emergency services and provides the exact location of the accident using GPS.
Getting medical help to an accident quicker can reduce fatalities by 5-10%. More than 200,000 casualties are reported on Britain’s roads each year.
The report also considered “blind-spot” deaths involving lorries. Cyclist fatalities are up 7% compared with last year, according to the report. The IMechE said that this is a statistic that can be reduced with the introduction of a technology called Lateral Safe which eliminates a driver’s blind-spot.
The technology uses a set of sensors on the rear and side of the vehicle to detect and track obstacles that enter these areas. The sensors cover 270º of the vehicle’s surroundings and warn the driver if there is risk of a collision. In addition, the system helps the driver to change lanes safely with an integrated blind-spot detector.
The report calls for Lateral Safe to be mandatory on all lorries and buses. Heavy goods vehicles cause 20% of all fatal accidents involving cyclists despite only making up 5% of the traffic mix.
Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the IMechE, said: “New intelligent transport technologies have the potential to save thousands of lives. Cyclists, pedestrians and other road users could all benefit but, just as with seatbelts 30 years ago, we need policymakers to work with the automotive industry to make them mandatory.”
She added: “By putting the UK at the forefront of intelligent transport technology we can also build an industry that is set to redefine the car in the next few decades, tapping into a market that will be worth £40 billion by 2020.”