A new partnership has been launched to campaign for the use of ‘life-saving’ technologies which it claims will help prevent vehicle collisions.
Launched to coincide with the publication of the latest World Health Organisation Global Status Report on Road Safety, #STOPTHECRASH is a partnership led by Global NCAP with support from organisations including Bosch, Continental and Thatcham Research.
The partnership has been launched in support of the UN’s Global Goals and the Decade of Action for Road Safety, and will focus on promoting three safety systems which it says have a ‘proven real world effectiveness’: ‘Electronic Stability Control’ (ESC), ‘Autonomous Emergency Braking’ (AEB) and ‘Anti-Lock Brakes for Motorcycles’ (ABS).
#STOPTHECRASH will also highlight the importance of tyre safety, in particular tyre pressure and adequate tread depth.
Global NCAP argues that today’s crash avoidance technologies are “capable of preventing many types of vehicle collision before they happen”. The safety organisation points to worldwide studies which confirm the effectiveness of ESC in reducing fatalities in single vehicle crashes by as much as 40%.
David Ward, secretary general of Global NCAP, said: “Today safety technologies can prevent crashes altogether rather than just protecting people when one occurs. Our new partnership supports the UN’s Global Goals and the ambitious target to halve road deaths by 2020.
“That is why we want all new cars to be equipped with ESC and are strongly promoting automatic braking and anti-lock brakes in motorcycles. These life-saving technologies will help reduce the toll of more than 3,000 people killed every day in crashes on the world’s roads.”
Peter Shaw, chief executive of Thatcham Research, added: “As a worldwide centre of excellence in testing and evaluating crash avoidance and autonomous driving technology, Thatcham Research is proud to be a founding partner of the Stop the Crash campaign.
"Active vehicle safety systems such as ESC and AEB can prevent thousands of potential crashes across the world. By highlighting these technologies to consumers and policy makers, Stop the Crash will help accelerate their adoption and ultimately save lives.”
I went to a large demonstration by several manufacturers and a well known research agency and every demonstration was faulty except for semi-auto simple functions. None of the vehicles worked when driven on the road autonomously. The most frequently heard comment from the demonstrators was “when it works it would do this” as they quickly grabbed the steering wheel. It is an idea that will struggle because the roads, technology and the human are simply not ready.
Billy Lewins
0
A comma in the right place would indeed have prevented the confusion, but more importantly, I firmly believe that automatic (and therefore often unexpected) braking is likely to lead to more accidents than it prevents.
Anyone else notice the two near-collisions of “autonomous” cars recently in America, where each suddenly departed from its intended path? The makers say they recommend that “drivers” keep their hands on the wheel at all time – but how many would, and how many would react quickly enough if they needed to?
Idris Francis Fight Back With Facts Petersfield
0
Third paragraph from the end:
“That is why we want all new cars to be equipped with ESC and are strongly promoting automatic braking and anti-lock brakes in motorcycles.”
Looks quite clear to me. Are they lacking a comma – or just being vague?
Derek Reynolds, Salop.
0
As I read it, it’s only the “anti-lock” which applies to motorcycles.
Rod King, 20’s Plenty for Us
0
Derek, I think they mean auto braking in cars and ABS on bikes.
Iain Temperton
0
I think they mean automatic braking for four-wheeled vehicles and anti-lock brakes for m/cs, rather than automatic braking for motorcycles. The wording in the last paragraph was misleading, whereas it was less ambiguous in the third paragraph.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
0
“Automatic braking on motorcycles” – can’t think of anything more dangerous. You are part way round a bend, or riding in a straight line with little need to brake, and the brakes go on – and to what degree? Such an action on a bend could cause loss of grip and a crash, possibly into the path of another vehicle. On a straight, the rider is not held in a seat with belts, may even be signalling with a hand, or simply wiping his visor, and the brakes go on. The rider’s body inertia forced forward, and the steering is compromised maybe fatally. Don’t these people think? – or is the ‘Global technological advances’ more important than gaining knowledge?
When does technology become more important that intelligence and knowledge?
This is a sad reflection of the incapability of many drivers and riders being able to use the available power of their vehicles wisely. Even the mildest small car is capable of isolating the occupant from the external environment causing them to concentrate on reaching their destination in the shortest possible time, rather than understand the consequences of their cocooned quiet and speedy passage, relying on technology to save the day – or destroy it.
Derek Reynolds, Salop.
0