Focus on vehicle safety measures with most tangible results, auto industry says

Brussels, 21 March 2018 – Before the European Commission publishes its proposal on the revision of the General Safety Regulation this May, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is calling on policy makers to focus on the most effective vehicle safety measures with the strongest positive impact.

“It goes without saying that our industry is a strong supporter of further reducing road causalities,” stated ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. “We therefore welcome the initiative to revise the safety regulations.”

Over the last few decades, passive safety systems – reducing the impact of an accident or the level of injury – have made a major contribution to road safety. Now, active safety measures – those that can even prevent accidents from happening at all – offer a huge potential to further improve the situation, for example by automatically intervening when a driver fails to react in time.

ACEA members are open to expanding important safety features, such as the requirement that all new car types come equipped with autonomous emergency braking systems or lane departure warning.

“What is needed is an EU road safety policy that prioritises measures which deliver the most optimal results, while also being the most cost-effective,” stated Mr Jonnaert. “EU auto makers want to invest in the most effective solutions. We are therefore calling for detailed cost-benefit analyses and proper impact assessments for all measures under consideration.”

To support these recommendations and to assess the potential of the different safety measures under consideration, ACEA used the results of a detailed analysis of accident statistics carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and Centre Européen d’Etudes de Sécurité et d’Analyse des Risques (CEESAR).

Jonnaert: “Notwithstanding the great potential of vehicle safety technologies, an integrated approach is also needed, combining new technology with improved road infrastructure and safer driver behaviour. ACEA is committed to work with relevant stakeholders to make further progress in these areas.”


Notes for editors

About ACEA

  • The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 14 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, JLR, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo Group.
  • Visit www.acea.auto for more information about ACEA, and follow us on www.twitter.com/ACEA_auto or www.linkedin.com/company/ACEA/.

Contact:

  • Cara McLaughlin, Communications Director, cm@acea.auto, +32 485 88 66 47.
  • Ben Kennard, Content Editor and Press Manager, bk@acea.auto, +32 487 39 21 82

Interested in ACEA press releases?

Receive them directly in your inbox!


About the EU automobile industry

  • 13.0 million Europeans work in the automotive sector
  • 11.5% of all manufacturing jobs in the EU
  • €374.6 billion in tax revenue for European governments
  • €101.9 billion trade surplus for the European Union
  • Over 7% of EU GDP generated by the auto industry
  • €59.1 billion in R&D spending annually, 31% of EU total
Content type Press release
Vehicle types All vehicles
back to topback to top