Skip to main content

New film highlights life-saving potential of ISA technology for new cars

A new film from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) makes the case for making intelligent speed assistance (ISA) which can be overridden a standard feature on all new vehicles in Europe. The five-minute video has been launched as the European Commission continues work on the development of the next generation of vehicle safety standards, expected to be launched later this year. A major study for the Commission published last year by consultants TRL found that ISA is one of several new vehicl
February 1, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A new film from the 3535 European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) makes the case for making intelligent speed assistance (ISA) which can be overridden a standard feature on all new vehicles in Europe.
 
The five-minute video has been launched as the European Commission continues work on the development of the next generation of vehicle safety standards, expected to be launched later this year.

A major study for the Commission published last year by consultants TRL found that ISA is one of several new vehicle technologies that are now suitable for mandatory fitting on new cars as they are ‘feasible in terms of the technology required’, already available on the market and offer a positive benefit-cost ratio.

Several vehicles currently in showrooms already feature the technology including the Ford S-Max/Galaxy and Volvo XC90. The European consumer safety rating organisation 6437 Euro NCAP awards additional points to cars fitted with ISA.

Ellen Townsend, policy director of ETSC said: "Getting Intelligent Speed Assistance technology in all new cars will help Europe maintain at the cutting edge as the industry moves increasingly towards automated driving. This is an automated feature that is proven, effective and available now.

"Speed is one of the biggest killers on our roads. With the potential to cut deaths by 20%, ISA really is a no-brainer."

The film includes a demonstration of the system by Oliver Carsten of the University of Leeds in a production Ford Galaxy factory-fitted with ISA. It also features expert contributions from Aled Williams of Euro NCAP, Dr Áine Carroll, a leading expert in post-crash rehabilitation, Koen Ricour of the European Traffic Police Network TISPOL and Ms Townsend of ETSC.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Variable message signs continue to deliver travel information
    February 2, 2012
    Arguably the 'face' of ITS, variable message signs are far from being a passing solution
  • Prowag signals change to vision statement
    February 15, 2024
    New pedestrian signal requirements designed to make crossings safer for the visually impaired mean that accessible signals are no longer just an option for US cities and municipalities. They now have the backing of the law, explains Andrew Stone
  • Virtual cockpit in cars ‘edges closer to reality’
    September 3, 2015
    New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Rise of Virtual Cockpits in Cars finds that the instrument cluster (IC) market in North America and Europe is expected to clock a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.2 percent from 2014 to 2021, with digital IC expected to reach a CAGR of approx. 26 percent by 2021. While the virtual cockpit will be limited to premium-segment vehicles, fully digital clusters that will be standard in about 20 percent of cars will also be offered as an option on medium-segment cars.
  • Cost Benefit: Don’t waste your energy
    October 28, 2021
    There are ways that we can harvest power from the world’s roads – without necessarily building new infrastructure. David Crawford investigates some of these new approaches