Training System on New Safety Technologies for Road Transport Addressed to Professional Bodies of the Automotive Sector

Informazioni relative al progetto

SAFETY-TECHNOPRO

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 027373

Progetto chiuso

Data di avvio 1 Ottobre 2006

Data di completamento 30 Settembre 2008

Finanziato da

• Information Society Technologies: thematic priority under the specific programme "Integrating and strengthening the European research area" (2002-2006).

Costo totale € 620 360,00

Contributo UE € 620 360,00

Coordinato da

INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACION SOBRE REPARACION DE VEHICULOS SA*
Spain

Exploitable results

European strategy for safety in transport

The goal of this eSafety initiative is to develop a European strategy for accelerating the research and development, and the deployment of existing and new safety for road transport technologies. In the Specific Support Action SAFETY-TECHNOPRO, the definition and development of a Training System addressed to professional bodies of the automotive sector is conceived as the most efficient way to achieve maximum acceptance and awareness on new safety technologies for road transport by the end users. The need of improving the information level of end-users on these technologies is perceived as a key factor for a quicker and wider market deployment of them. It is well known that end-user opinion and acceptance on safety technologies is strongly influenced by the professionals (sales persons, repairing technicians, etc.) so it is necessary to train these professionals to transmit to end user high quality information on safety technologies; that will generate in the end user a progressive well understanding and complete acceptance of these safety systems and technologies. Professional bodies involved included: - Sales persons working in dealerships - Repair personnel working in garages - Vehicle inspectors working in technical vehicle inspection workshops. The starting point of the project consisted in the revision of the road transport new technologies and systems. Such a technological analysis allow focusing the project on those safety technologies which respond to a clearest customer-demand and that are to be commercialised in the next 5 years (2011 horizon). It is essential to know the opinions of the users (both end users and professionals). Therefore, information was gathered directly from the end-users, through an Internet tool used in the frame of EuroTEST managed by associated members to FIA, throughout 12 European countries (Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Finland, Croatia, Norway and Slovenia), in order to know directly the opinions, perceptions, habits, etc. of end-users, in relation to new safety technologies. Gathering information directly from the professional bodies involved through specific questionnaires was important for knowing the opinions of such professionals on new safety technologies. With the data obtained, the project consortium has sufficient information in order to design a training system that could be fully accepted by professional bodies. It is necessary to analyse these gathered data through an analytical methodology adequate to the interpretation of this kind of psycho-sociological data. National particularities must be taken in account. The expected result will be a set of training system requirements, related to methodological aspects, contents and also management aspects for the training system. The most important technical task was the definition and elaboration of the training system, according to the requirements previously obtained. The result is the training system prototype, constituted by several modules adapted to the specific professional bodies, and also characterised by a technological updating module, that allow integrate on-line the most recently commercialised safety technologies by the OEMs, car manufacturers and road infrastructure suppliers. It will is necessary to test the functioning of the training system, through a limited series of trials to be carried out in each professional body. The project results diffusion mainly comprised the organisation of a European dissemination Seminar, coordinating the joint presentation of the training system, and thus maximising their potential impact.

Accelerating vehicle safety

The eSafety initiative aims to accelerate the development, deployment, and use of 'Intelligent vehicle safety systems' (IVSS), 'Advanced driver assistance systems' (ADAS), etc. Safety-Technopro was therefore conceived as the most efficient way to achieve maximum acceptance and awareness on new safety technologies for road transport by the end-users, provoking a progressive, but full, understanding of their potential. The project's starting point was to carry out a complete review of available eSafety technologies and systems, allowing the project to focus on those safety technologies which would clearly respond to customer demand, and set for commercialisation within the coming five years (2011 horizon). The next step - the core of the project - was to design a training system, which would be relevant to the targeted population (professional bodies and, ultimately, end-users). This was achieved through three tasks: - The project carried out a European-wide assessment of the opinions, perceptions, habits, etc. of end-users, relating to safety technologies. This was done using an internet-based survey tool, Eurotest, throughout 12 European countries: Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Norway and Switzerland. - Information was also directly gathered from professional bodies, through specific questionnaires, in order to know their opinions on safety technologies. - The gathered psycho-sociological data was analysed according to standard methodology analysis. These tasks led to a set of training system requirements (related to methodological aspects, contents and also management aspects), allowing for the definition and elaboration of the training system. The training system consisted of several modules adapted to the specific training recipients, and was also characterised by a technological updating module. This training system was then tested, the trials being carried out within each sub-group of professionals. Safety-Technopro provided two principal sets of results. 1. The first set of results was the complete assessment of ADAS and IVSS, in their relationship to end-user acceptance. Based on a Europe-wide survey, this assessment took into account both professional bodies and end users, and provided insights into: - awareness of safety problems; - cultural meaning of safety and of safety technologies; - expectations on a cognitive and emotional level; - fairness of (anticipated) implementation processes; - behavioural adaptation to new technologies; - willingness to pay; - willingness to use. This study was carried out in 12 countries, providing useful user types and cross-country distributions. 2. The second set of results concerned the development of the Safety-Technopro training system. Accessible through the Safety-Technopro project's website, this training system lists ADAS and IVSS applications and explains them in a manner relevant to professional bodies, by using standard psychological and cognitive tools. All available information is grouped in four areas for all systems: presentation, benefits, technical information and use. Awareness of ADAS and IVSS applications, with respect to end-user acceptance and adoption is key to road safety promotion in the European Union. Under this assumption, methodologies and tools increasing public awareness of such systems ranks high on the EU's road-safety agenda.Therefore, the Safety-Technopro project's main result, in a policy perspective, is twofold: - a complete survey has been conducted on ADAS and IVSS applications and related usage and practices regarding end-user acceptance; - professional bodies have been identified as agents of safety technology awareness and adoption by end users.