Skip to main content

Can ADAS impact middle-income countries?

Recent research by SBD shows that road-related fatalities are the eighth leading cause of death globally with more than a million people dying each year. Middle income countries, which include most ASEAN economies, account for 72 per cent of the world’s population and contribute to about 80 per cent of road traffic fatalities.
September 20, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Recent research by 4263 SBD shows that road-related fatalities are the eighth leading cause of death globally with more than a million people dying each year.

Middle income countries, which include most ASEAN economies, account for 72 per cent of the world’s population and contribute to about 80 per cent of road traffic fatalities.

The research indicates that in India, Malaysia and Thailand there is lack of strict enforcement on helmet and seat belt wearing compliance laws. Even in Malaysia which is considered as a more advanced ASEAN economy still only 76 per cent of riders wear helmets and 77 per cent of drivers wear seatbelts. The statistics are much poorer in India and Thailand.

Common driver behaviours such as speeding and minimal driver discipline increase the risk of accidents in these countries. Malaysia shows an increasing trend in road accidents, whereas in India the total number of road accidents has remained stable over the last two years. Thailand shows a decreasing trend in the overall road accidents, however the number of fatalities increased by 39% from 2010 to 2011.

In Thailand and Malaysia the majority of accidents occur on local roads. In contrast, India sees higher rates of collisions on its national highways, where rear-ending is reported in over a third of all accidents. Roll-over is a common accident type in Thailand, and all countries show riders of 2 and 3 wheeler vehicles are most at risk.

SBD’s recent study indicates that there is some scope for active safety countermeasure to be introduced. Such systems have the potential for reducing the consequences of a crash and in some occasion can also prevent the accident. Each country studied in this report details in-depth road safety conditions, accident trends with statistics on those most at risk, the various types of collision, and the accident contributing factors.

European OEMs such as 2125 Audi, 1731 BMW, 1685 Mercedes-Benz and 609 Volvo have started to roll-out advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on their most premium models in some emerging markets. Volvo is one OEM offering a similar level of ADAS comparable to its market offering in Europe. SBD’s research suggests that without customisation, such ADAS systems may not be suitable to address the local road conditions and driver behaviour in these countries.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Sharjah Police record 500 per cent increase in heavy vehicle traffic violations
    October 18, 2016
    The Traffic and Patrol Department of Sharjah Police has successfully increased road safety since the beginning of last year by utilising technologies new to the United Arab Emirates, designed to manage truck and heavy vehicle movements in the emirate - the highlight of their recent submission in to the Gulf Traffic Awards taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 13-15 November. Issues with heavy vehicles passing through the city without permits and other restricted zones have been a recurring pro
  • Putting a stop to intersection indecision
    March 9, 2015
    David Crawford takes a look at innovations to reduce crashes at rural intersections. Intersection crashes continue to represent a worryingly large share of deaths and serious injuries across US highway networks. Statistics from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration show that an average of 21% of road traffic accident deaths occur at crossings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) calculates that intersection crashes account for 48% of all injury-related i
  • The Asia-Pacific poses a multitude of ITS challenges
    May 30, 2014
    The Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand, provided a focus for the region’s ITS Associations. Mary Bell reports. In late April, ITS New Zealand hosted the 13th Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland. Around 350 delegates from 24 nations gathered to share and advance ITS applications on both strategic and technical levels and to discuss the differing and various challenges faced in the region.
  • Enforcement suppliers highlight industry best practice
    March 15, 2012
    Major suppliers of enforcement technology highlight the countries, regions or cities that they consider to be leading the way in reduction of road traffic violations. The French government’s ambitious programme of enforcing traffic law violations has proven to be an unrivalled success and is continuing to bring improvements in road safety with innovative enforcement technology.