Collision-avoidance technologies, which could help eliminate cyclist and pedestrian deaths caused by driver ‘blind-spots’, should be made mandatory for all UK buses and lorries by 2015, according to a report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
The ‘Intelligent Transport Intelligent Society’ report also calls for automated emergency response systems to be integrated into all new road vehicles within the next two years.
These systems automatically alert emergency services in case of an accident – even if a driver is unconscious – as well as providing the exact location of the accident using GPS.
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Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “Cyclist deaths have risen by 7 per cent in the past year, with about eight cyclists being killed or seriously injured daily on British roads. A number of these deaths could be prevented if technology to prevent driver ‘blind spots’ were made mandatory for all large vehicles. New intelligent transport technologies have the potential to save thousands of lives.”
By putting the UK at the forefront of intelligent transport technology we can also build an industry that is set to redefine the car in the next few decades, tapping into a market that will be worth about £40 billion by 2020.”