Overview
The Integrated Project PReVENT was a European automotive industry activity co-funded by the European Commission to contribute to road safety by developing and demonstrating preventive safety applications and technologies.
Preventive safety applications help drivers to avoid or mitigate an accident through the use of in-vehicle systems which sense the nature and significance of the danger, while taking the driver's state into account. Depending on the significance and timing of the threat, the active and preventive safety systems will:
- inform the driver as early as possible;
- warn him or her if there is no driver reaction to the information; and
- actively assist or ultimately intervene in order to avoid an accident or mitigate its consequences.
Preventive safety applications also help drivers to:
- maintain a safe speed - keep a safe distance;
- drive within the lane;
- avoid overtaking in critical situations;
- safely pass intersections;
- avoid crashes with vulnerable road users;
- and last but not least, reduce the severity of an accident if it still occurs.
Preventive safety makes use of information, communications and positioning technologies to provide solutions for improving road safety. With such technology - which can operate either autonomously on-board the vehicle or co-operatively based on vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication - the number of accidents and their severity can be reduced, leading to a decrease in the number of accidents.
The goal of Integrated Project PReVENT was to contribute to the:
- road safety goal of 50% fewer accidents by 2010 - as specified in the key action 2.3.1.1 eSafety for Road and Air Transport from the European Union;
- competitiveness of the European automotive industry;
- European scientific knowledge community on road transport safety;
- congregation and cooperation of European and national organisations and their road transport safety initiatives PReVENT envisions the early availability of advanced, next generation preventive and active safety applications and enabling technologies and an accelerated deployment on European roads.
In accordance with goals above, PReVENT:
- developed, demonstrated, tested and evaluated preventive safety applications, using advanced sensor, communication and positioning technologies integrated into on-board systems for driver assistance - facilitates the co-operation of all stakeholders leading to the earliest possible implementation of preventive/active safety systems in Europe;
- assisted technological development and integration as well as decreased component costs;
- contributed towards rapid market introduction and field penetration by helping to overcome major barriers including risk assessment and liability issues in introducing such systems;
- created a greater awareness of the active safety approach (roadmaps, systems, common architecture including infrastructure, cost efficiency and benefits to the potential users) leading to increased user demands for preventive/active safety PReVENT will enable the European industry to further strengthen this position by introducing leading edge technologies while helping to reduce road accidents.
PReVENT consisted of a number of subprojects in complementary function fields:
- Safe Speed and Safe Following: these functions help drivers keep or choose a speed or inter-vehicle distance, allowing them to safely cope with the road situation they will meet in the following seconds. The approach is mostly autonomous.
- Lateral Support: this field deals with autonomous applications focusing on the lateral areas of a vehicle to help drivers keep their vehicle at the safest position in the lane, as well as warn them if the vehicle is about to run off the road.
- Intersection Safety: this function field covers the investigation of autonomous and cooperative approaches to safety applications dedicated at approaching or passing intersections. Vulnerable Road Users and collision MitigationCollision mitigation and pre-crash protection systems focus on reduction of injuries and fatalities in case of unavoidable crashes (in particular during the last 2-3 seconds before the impact). Collision mitigation by braking significantly reduces kinetic energy of impact, thereby greatly reducing crash severity.
- Cross-functional Activities: an additional cross-functional field covering methodologies, common architectures, liability issues, and technology or standardisation oriented activities safeguards a common approach. In 2007, a common Safety Application Roadshow will be organised, involving all project participants to exhibit the project results and create awareness as an important milestone for the preparation of the European market. The subprojects and Roadshow organisation are coordinated by the Integrated Project Management, which ensures a common vision, synergies at activity level and the requisite guidance to successfully reach the objectives of the project.
Funding
Results
PREVENT developed, tested and assessed the range of safety applications contributing to road safety. As a result, prototypes were demonstrated. Generically, the main technological results can be explained as follows:
For Safe speed & Safe following:
- Communication technologies to improve the detection, locating and evaluation of hazards
- New sensorial devices integrating obstacle detection and communication
- For Lateral Support & Driver Monitoring
- Lane-keeping support system for situations with poor road and environmental conditions
For Intersection Safety:
- Concepts for sensors and communication aimed to road markings and crossing traffic recognition
- For Vulnerable Road Users & Collision Mitigation
- Active 3D sensor technology for pre-crash and blind spot surveillance
- Location and classification of obstacles (cars, pedestrians, bikes,etc.)
and Cross-functional:
- Concepts for advanced sensors & sensor data fusion
- Safety-enhanced digital maps for ADAS applications
- Generic impact assessment for all functions
Technical Implications
PReVENT project went into action in Versailles, France
On 19-20 September, the EC-supported Integrated Project PReVENT (PReVENTive and Active Safety Applications) held a large and very successful exhibition of technologies for safer road traffic this week in Versailles, France.
The event received strong political support with the attendance of many VIPs including European Commissioner for DG Information Society & Media, Viviane Reding,and the French Minister of Higher Education and Research, Valérie Pécresse, who participated in demonstrations of the latest in preventive vehicle safety. A large number of representatives of the press turned out as well to experience the demonstrations which included simulators and over twenty-five vehicles.
With a wide range and variety of applications that help drivers to watch their speed and lane departure, all the way to those that brake to help to mitigate the damage in case of an unavoidable collision, the PReVENT in Action! Exhibition delivered what it promised - an amazing array of demonstrations of what’s to come in future road safety.
Giving the end-user an idea of what's to come
On 22 September, the PReVENT partners brought their experimental vehicles to the public. Prototype cars were showcased in front of the magnificent Versailles palace - effectively opening research directly to the masses. This symbolic gesture fostered hands-on awareness of the upcoming technology and car of the future.
Policy implications
The Integrated Project PReVENT was a European automotive industry activity co-funded by the European Commission to contribute to road safety by developing and demonstrating preventive safety applications and technologies.
Preventive safety applications help drivers to avoid or mitigate an accident through the use of in-vehicle systems which sense the nature and significance of the danger, while taking the driver's state into account.