Strasbourg

The deployment of life saving eSafety technologies in cars is the focus of a new free iPhone application launched today with the support of motorsport’s top drivers. The application is created by the eSafety Challenge project with support from the European Commission, eSafetyAware, FIA, and the FIA Foundation.

 
Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher said: “Many accidents on the roads due to human errors could be avoided. The advanced safety systems available for cars today can support the driver and limit both accident risks and severity”. On the game itself, he said, “This is a great game which will help drivers of all ages to become more familiar with the eSafety technologies available and hopefully they will demand some of these technologies next time they buy a new car”.

The free iPhone application “eSafety Challenge”, is available from the Apple App Store from today to coincide with the launch of the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety. As policymakers and end-users are often unaware of the potential of eSafety systems to make our roads less dangerous, the goal of the eSafety Challenge activity behind the launch is to promote the deployment and use of intelligent vehicle safety systems to enhance road safety in Europe – a priority which falls under the UN Decade of Action’s support to the development of safer cars.

Reaction skills are put to the test in this game, which allows players to take the eSafety Challenge and test the latest eSafety technologies. Players learn from top drivers supporting the game including Formula 1 drivers Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Alexander Wurz, seven-time World Rally Champion, Sebastian Loeb, eight-time 24 Hour Le Mans Champion, Tom Kristensen, and DTM driver, Susie Stoddart.

Jean Todt, President of the FIA, said “This game is a great way of raising awareness, in particular among younger drivers, about the potential of these technologies to save lives on roads.  A range of eSafety systems like Electronic Stability Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Support Systems, Speed Alerts, Warning and Emergency Braking Systems, and Adaptive Headlights can save lives by tackling the root cause of the most common accidents. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) alone could save 4,000 lives in Europe each year and prevent more than 100,000 injuries prevented if fitted to all cars”.

The game is available to download here.

 
Note to Editors:

eSafety Challenge
The eSafety Challenge promotes and highlights the life-saving potential of advanced vehicle safety technologies. eSafety Challenge receive funding from the European Commission, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) the FIA Foundation, and eSafetyAware. More information on the eSafety Challenge can be found here: http://www.esafetychallenge.eu

UN Decade of Action

The UN has declared 2011-2020 a UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. According to UN figures, 1.3 million people are killed on the world’s roads each year and unless action is taken now, annual road deaths are forecast to rise to 1.9 million by 2020. The goal of the decade, endorsed by 100 governments, is to reduce forecast road fatalities by 50% over the next decade. In real terms, this would mean 5 million lives saved and 50 million injuries prevented. More information on the UN Decade of Action can be found here: http://www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/en/index.html

For more information please contact Niall Carty, n.carty@fiabrussels.com (Tel: 0032 2 282 0812 or 0032 486 650 216).