| According to recent studies, European | | | | Member States and allowed the EU Commission |
| motorists want to buy safer cars but are put | | | | to understand users' attitudes towards new |
| off by what they think of being a high price | | | | technologies and their level of knowledge and |
| for car safety features that could bring down | | | | to decide on further actions, like public |
| the number of car accident claims. | | | | demonstrations, media events and campaigns. |
| | | | |
| Some motorists also do not fully understand | | | | The survey showed that for the majority of |
| the benefits of electronic stability control | | | | motorists, safety is of high importance when |
| (ESC), for example, and other high-end | | | | buying a car but they don't want to pay extra |
| technology systems and the role they play in | | | | for safety systems. This could be because |
| preventing car accidents and reducing the | | | | they feel that cars should be safe without |
| number of car accident claims. | | | | having to pay for the privilege. |
| | | | |
| Vivian Reding, European Commissioner for | | | | Safety and fuel consumption are the top |
| Information Society and Media says, "Together | | | | criteria next to price in choosing a car. |
| with industry we are working hard to develop | | | | Over 80 per cent of Europeans want ESC |
| intelligent safety systems. Member states and | | | | (electronic stability control) in their car |
| stakeholders must ensure that these | | | | and ESC is perceived as an extension of the |
| dramatically important and efficient | | | | already well-known ABS. |
| technologies are quickly taken in use in all | | | | |
| markets in Europe. These survey results | | | | Over 70 per cent of Europeans want in-car |
| underline how strongly Europeans feel and why | | | | emergency call (eCall) in their ar, which can |
| we must all act now." | | | | save lives if a car accident occurs. The |
| | | | European Commision has welcomed the recent |
| The European Commission has recognised | | | | public-private communication platform |
| motorist concerns and is trying to raise | | | | "eSafetyAware!" to promote safety technology. |
| awareness and release more information to the | | | | |
| public about intelligent safety systems. | | | | What is the eSafety Aware programme? |
| | | | |
| Road safety is shifting more and more to | | | | Esafety aware is a programme to improve |
| in-car systems that could reduce the number | | | | public awareness of in-car safety systems |
| of car accidents. This involves advanced | | | | designed to reduce car accidents and car |
| information communication technologies (ICTs) | | | | accident claims. |
| which help to develop intelligent safety | | | | |
| systems to save lives and reduce the severity | | | | The programme focuses on commercial awareness |
| of personal injuries. | | | | campaigns chaired by the Foundation of the |
| | | | International Automobile Federation (FIA). It |
| The rapid deployment and take-up of these | | | | has 26 founding members representing motoring |
| systems would benefit all road users. This | | | | clubs, road safety authorities, road |
| requires, however, that car buyers and others | | | | operators and insurance providers. |
| are informed about safety systems and | | | | |
| understand their benefits. | | | | The campaigns are designed to improve public |
| | | | awareness about safety features like ESC, |
| As a part of the Intelligent Car Initiative, | | | | which can reduce the incidence of road |
| launched in February 2006, the Commission | | | | traffic accidents by 20 per cent. |
| initiated two surveys to learn about the | | | | |
| attitudes of drivers towards safety systems | | | | Europe still has more than 41,000 |
| designed to reduce car accident claims. | | | | road-related deaths every year and the |
| | | | personal and financial cost for families is |
| The surveys were performed in all 25 EU | | | | extremely high. |