Skip to main content

Saphe launches next generation in-car alert at ITS World Congress

Next-generation in-car safety product Saphe, launched at the ITS World Congress, has captured the interest of the European Commission and United Nations (UN). Violeta Bulc, European commissioner for transport, has asked for a meeting in Brussels with Saphe founder Freddy Sørensen. Saphe fits in the palm of a hand and is installed inside a car’s windscreen. The cloud-based product connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone app and, for a monthly fee, warns drivers against hazards such as ambulances approaching
September 20, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

Next-generation in-car safety product 8847 Saphe, launched at the 6456 ITS World Congress, has captured the interest of the 1690 European Commission and United Nations (UN). Violeta Bulc, European commissioner for transport, has asked for a meeting in Brussels with Saphe founder Freddy Sørensen. Saphe fits in the palm of a hand and is installed inside a car’s windscreen. The cloud-based product connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone app and, for a monthly fee, warns drivers against hazards such as ambulances approaching or when trains are coming to level crossings. Visiting the Saphe stand with Jean Todt, UN special envoy for road safety, Bulc commented: “This product is good. It can be used all over the world. Accidents involving emergency vehicles are a major problem, the same applies to trains. So we are going to have a meeting on how we can develop this together.”

Founded in 2015, Saphe was originally designed to warn motorists about speed cameras and accidents – and 400,000 of the first version have been sold in Denmark. The main difference with the second-generation product – which will go on sale in November – is the addition of a display “so you can tell more about what’s happening”. Saphe also alerts drivers about upcoming roadworks and wrong-way drivers, and warns them when they are close to schools at drop-off and pick-up times – as well pointing out accidents and speed cameras.

“Our goal of coming to Congress is to get cooperation and development with other countries. So, getting a meeting with the commissioner is fantastic,” says Sørensen.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ITS World Congress looks to new horizons in Montréal
    March 29, 2017
    ITS World Congress 2017 will highlight transformational technologies, integrated mobility and smart cities. “Today’s global transportation industry is at a transformational tipping point,” says Regina Hopper, president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America).
  • Increased automation is already improving road safety
    April 20, 2017
    Richard Cuerden considers how many of the technologies developed as part of a move toward autonomous vehicles are already being deployed as ADAS improve road safety. The drive to create autonomous vehicles has caused a re-evaluation of what is needed to safely navigate today’s roads and the development of systems that can replace the driver in many scenarios. However, many manufacturers are not waiting for ‘tomorrow’ and are already incorporating these systems in their new cars as Advanced Driver Assistanc
  • How MaaS and AVs can cut Oslo traffic
    June 17, 2019
    A new study shows that on-demand AVs and MaaS together could make a significant difference to traffic in Oslo, Norway – but only if ride-share is involved too If you replace today’s traditional private car ownership with a mixture of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and on-demand autonomous vehicles (AVs) running door-to-door, you could make dramatic cuts in city traffic. That, at least, is the view of researchers from COWI and PTV, who have modelled a variety of future scenarios based on the morning rush h
  • Automated enforcement tames speeders in Chicago’s Children’s Safety Zones
    November 20, 2013
    Chicago is installing automated enforcement after pilot schemes indicated that one in 10 motorists exceed the speed limits in Children’s Safety Zones. Each year in Chicago there are around 3,000 incidents of pedestrians being struck by a motor vehicle - and about 800 of those casualties are children. In an effort to improve child safety the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has established Children’s Safety Zones around schools and other areas where children congregate. These zones allow the impos