Lynette Jackson, Global Communications Director, TRW Automotive
The increasing focus on vehicle safety over the last decade has made a significant difference to road fatalities. Since the turn of the millennium, annual fatalities have been reduced by more than 28 per cent(1) in Europe, and by approximately 10 per cent(2) in the United States. However, there is still more to be done - according to World Health Organization statistics, approximately 1.3m people die each year on the world's roads.
The automotive landscape is so very different from 10 years ago. As we look forward, the focus in established markets has to be about making advanced safety solutions affordable across the range of platforms - including for the increasing proportion of fuel-efficient smaller or hybrid/electric vehicles. For emerging markets we need to return to the fundamentals of passive safety; seek to deliver affordable, more basic active systems; and work together with governments and industry bodies to educate drivers and other road users as road traffic volumes increase at a significant pace.
At July’s eSafety Challenge event at Millbrook, McLaren Racing Managing Director Jonathan Neale’s speech took the message to a very human level as he reflected on the personal tragedy shared by the world when Nelson Mandela’s great-granddaughter, Zanani, was killed in a traffic accident on the eve of the World Cup. When I get into the car with my young children, I want to know that I’ve chosen the best possible safety options to help protect them.
Approximately 90 per cent of TRW’s portfolio of technologies is focused on safety - the company is passionate about helping to protect drivers, passengers and other road users. TRW has a suite of technologies that support the objectives of the eSafety Aware initiative.
TRW has been involved in the eSafety Aware programme since the beginning. It’s clear that intelligent safety systems have significant potential to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities. TRW is supporting the campaign to improve awareness to ensure that consumers are making the right safety choices for themselves and their families. We’ve got road safety awareness programmes in other markets such as China, where we’re focused on educating pre school aged children on the need to wear seat belts.
Working for a leading supplier of safety systems, I’ve had the chance to drive cars with electronic stability control switched on and off on ice test tracks in Sweden. The potential benefits of ESC are truly remarkable. As more and more intelligent solutions such as collision warning and lane keeping assist become more affordable, the industry should do all it can to get them in as many vehicles as possible.
To support consumers and vehicle manufacturers TRW is focused on making its safety systems affordable - whether that’s delivering a low cost radar collision warning system for the family car market in the US or Europe, or providing airbags for breakthrough low cost models in India or China.
But it’s more than making products and systems cheaper for vehicle manufacturers: it’s about educating the end consumer. People need to understand that such technology can make a significant difference in roadway safety. For those of us who know about these technologies, the choice is very straightforward.
The challenge is clear for TRW and, indeed, for everyone in the auto industry - the focus has to be on improving the value proposition of safety technologies in order to bring them to the mass market as quickly as possible. This requires close collaboration within the industry - between vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, government and industry bodies.
Organisations such as eSafety Aware play a pivotal role in raising the awareness of advanced safety systems and it’s positive to see the industry coming together in support of this campaign. TRW will continue to play its part to deliver the safety everyone deserves.
1 Source: CARE - European Road Accident Database
2 Source: FARS – US Fatality Analysis Reporting System
Interview with Lynette Jackson and Dr Alois Seewald, TRW
|
