CONTROL AND ASSISTANCE: ROAD VEHICLE CONTROL AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS RESEARCH WITHIN THE EC'S 4FP

Advanced on-board telematic systems in vehicles will provide the next step forward in road safety and transport efficiency. These systems will help drivers to control their vehicles, and will interact autonomously with the surrounding traffic environment. The driver will still take full responsibility for driving, but be supported by an electronic 'driving instructor'. The system will continually monitor information, support the driver where desirable and where the driver demands it, and occasionally intervene when the driver performs sub-optimally. One challenge here will be to develop a 'cooperative traffic environment', where vehicles interact with both network management infrastructure and surrounding traffic. Technical solutions must be considered within transport authorities' total planning process. The transport strand of the European Commission's Fourth Framework Programme (EC's 4FP) includes industrial investment in projects for systems assisting the control of road vehicles. The relevant areas are: (1) collision warning and mitigation; (2) infrastructure traffic control; (3) emergency management; (4) autonomous driving; (5) legal and liability issues; and (6) benefits and deployment issues. Additional research and development will be needed to prepare advanced vehicle systems for market introduction.