Beating the bad behaviour |
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Human behaviour when on the road is one of the key research areas pursued by the Laboratory for Accident Research, Biomechanics and Studies of Human Behaviour (LAB) set up by PSA Peugeot, Citroën and Renault. Established in 1969, the work of the LAB has been central to the research, development and launch of numerous safety features already fitted as standard in vehicles produced by the three manufacturers. But that work is never finished and, in the continuing pursuit of reductions in fatalities and injuries on the world’s roads, numerous projects are both in progress and on the drawing board. Nevertheless, it is clear that LAB bosses, like many manufacturers, believe future reductions in road deaths and injuries are linked to the introduction of crash avoidance features aimed at detecting driver behaviour. Dr Herve Guillemot, a doctor specialising in aerospace medicine, emergency medicine and forensic practices, who was appointed director of the LAB in April 2004, says: “Over the past few years, vehicle manufacturers have made significant contributions to road safety through reinforced vehicle structures and improved restraint systems: airbags, pretensioners, force limiters, and so on. Active safety systems are also playing a key role in avoiding accidents. The widespread application of ABS and emergency brake assist (EBA), and the increasingly common presence of electronic stability programme (ESP) have all proved their efficiency, particularly in accidents where the driver loses control of the car.” The LAB breaks its research work into four distinct areas: primary safety, secondary safety, tertiary safety and driver behaviour. And while developments are taking place in all segments, Dr Guillemot says: “The LAB is continuing its research into human behaviour. There are three main areas of focus: primary safety, which studies the seconds before the accident; secondary safety, which studies injuries and the way they occurred; and driver behaviour in both normal and emergency situations; and the psychological aspects of driving. “Although clear sociocultural differences can be seen from one country or continent to the next, the findings of our studies can generally be applied to road users worldwide.” PSA Peugeot Citroën spends approximately 10% of its research and development budget on safety – around €2bn. Primary safety – improving vehicle ability to avoid accidents: stopping accidents before they happen has always been a PSA Peugeot Citroën priority. The focus has been on designing-in primary safety right from the design phase, improving digital simulation and experimental resources, and developing the use of electronic assistance systems such as ABS, emergency brake assistance and ESP. More recently, the LAB has worked on the development of a lane departure warning system, which debuted on the Citroën C5 last year and also appears on the recently-launched C4 (RoadSafe: winter 2004/05).
In addition, PSA Peugeot Citroën has started to fit speed limiters on some vehicles and plans to extend the offering to all Peugeot and Citroën vehicles by 2006. A further development is road “barcodes”, which are aimed at preventing accidents caused by a lack of information or by misinterpretation of traffic signals. To address this problem, PSA Peugeot Citroën has developed a system of sensors that reads traffic signalling information and informs the driver of the danger through information or progressive warnings – pictograms, audible alarms, and so on. “Barcodes” comprising four or five white stripes are painted on the road and infrared sensors under a vehicle’s front bumper are able to read the stripes, even under difficult conditions. At present, the system is still at the experimental stage and cannot be introduced on a general basis without the co-operation of all players, including governments and vehicle manufacturers. However, a spokesman says: “PSA Peugeot Citroën is convinced that this system provides an effective means to reduce accidents caused by a lack of information.” Secondary safety – protecting occupants in the event of an accident: the Group is continuing work to protect vehicle occupants and pedestrians in the event of impact. Studies have largely focused on vehicle structure and on restraint/protection systems such as seatbelts and airbags in the passenger compartment. There is no doubt that the Euro NCAP has played a key role in developments in recent years, but the LAB says it, like many other manufacturers, is aiming to improve pedestrian protection amid criticism from the crash testers. The Peugeot 407’s design, for example, was heavily influenced by the need to increase pedestrian protection in the event of a collision and technical work has essentially focused on making vehicle front-ends – bumpers, lower body panels and bonnets – more pedestrian-friendly. Regulatory test procedures are conducted on the front end, styling and shape in order to assess the consequences of pedestrian impact. Tests performed on the bonnet, bumpers and lower body panels seek to make the vehicle as pedestrian-friendly as possible. Ironically, improvements in engine technology – smaller engines producing more power and, therefore, better performance – have proved an asset in aiding pedestrian protection. Smaller engines are not only lighter and more fuel-efficient, they are also more compact and, therefore, take up less space, so the bonnet is more flexible and less aggressive in the event of head impact, contributing to pedestrian protection. Despite it being a legal requirement to wear seatbelts, around 10% of road deaths can be attributed to the failure to “belt-up”, according to road safety data. Encouraging people to wear a seatbelt is a measure that could save several hundred lives every year. According to the LAB, more than 25% of people killed in front seats are not wearing a seatbelt, so an in-car audible and visual warning has been developed to draw attention to the importance of wearing seatbelts and is on all Group vehicles.
Tertiary safety – alerting the emergency services after an accident: last year PSA Peugeot Citroën introduced an emergency-call function in its cars that it says could save hundreds of lives a year. An analysis of the factors that cause road accidents has shown that between 100 and 200 lives, maybe more, could be saved every year through action in the field of tertiary safety. The concept of tertiary safety in vehicles is still only emerging but – thanks to progress in electronics – one essential function is already available: emergency calling.Figures show that 10% of emergency calls concern road-related accidents and incidents – the remaining 90% are for domestic emergencies. Consequently, the Group is extending the availability of the RT3-SUAL telematics unit at Peugeot and Navidrive at Citroën, featuring telephone and satellite positioning systems, to all vehicles sold on the European market. This system alerts the emergency services and indicates the exact location of the vehicle using the on-board telephone and satellite positioning features of the telematics unit fitted as standard or as an option on almost all Peugeot and Citroën vehicles. The emergence of tertiary safety functions, such as the emergency call service, highlights the importance of the relations between the vehicles, road infrastructure and emergency services in ensuring that the whole system works smoothly. The LAB says that vehicles that can call out the emergency services by giving precise details of their location provide a medical and technical assistance service. Driver behaviour: the Group is continuing to invest in research studies, through the LAB, on the role of human factors in road accidents. The objective is to develop new driving aids for motorists. Figures reveal that:
A spokesman says: “Driver behaviour remains a key concern. It also offers considerable potential for progress. Too many accidents are caused by speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to wear a seatbelt or respect traffic signals and lack of experience among young drivers.” In recent years, PSA Peugeot Citroën has launched a series of initiatives (including safe driving courses) to change driver behaviour. The Group is also backing a wide range of projects run by associations, companies and foundations, as well as promoting the importance of safety to young drivers. Internally, PSA Peugeot Citroën has organised safe driving courses for employees. For more information, visit: www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com
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