The Intelligent car is on its way:

European Parliament adopts Intelligent Car Report
 
MEP Zita Gurmai's report on the European Commission's Intelligent Car Communication "Towards Europe-wide, Safer, Cleaner and Efficient Mobility" has been adopted by the Plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 19 June. A large majority of 417 MEPs out of 428 voted in favour of the report. The eSafety Forum, a multi-stakeholder platform whose mission is to promote the development, deployment and use of Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems, welcomes this important political milestone.

The eSafety Forum took the opportunity of the EP hearing to raise awareness, understanding and support among European decision makers of the role intelligent vehicle safety systems can play in making Europe's roads safer, cleaner and more efficient. A cocktail reception attracted around 90 interested politicians and other stakeholders and featured speeches from European decision makers and eSafety stakeholder representatives.
 
The key eSafety issues brought forward in the Commission's Intelligent Car Communication are the deployment of the pan-European emergency call system eCall by 2010 and an accelerated introduction of Electronic Stability Control (ESC), in order to reach 100% availability of ESC by 2012. The report also urges stakeholders to work towards improving awareness and affordability of intelligent vehicle systems, and to improve safety of nomadic devices (devices such as navigation systems that can be used inside and outside the car). On the environmental side, the report calls for the development of a methodology for measuring the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on reducing CO2 emissions.
 
The Parliament's Intelligent Car rapporteur, Mrs. Zita Gurmai, MEP, presented the progress made through her report and the next steps forward. She stated: "Our most important task and responsibility is saving lives and to set out a strategy for safer, cleaner and more efficient mobility in the EU." Mrs. Gurmai concluded by highlighting the benefits of eSafety systems: "The intelligent car could save up to 6500 lives every year in Europe."
 
Mr Hermann Meyer, CEO of ERTICO-ITS Europe, the multi-sector partnership pursuing the development and deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), stressed the importance to move from research to deployment of eSafety systems: "There is a need for an EU legislative framework in which creativity to develop Intelligent Transport Systems can thrive and deployment is fast and effective". He underlined that other modes of transport could also benefit from ICT: "Intelligent Transport Systems can achieve cooperative, co-modal mobility, saving lives and protecting the environment".

Other Members of the European Parliament who took the floor were Mr Malcolm Harbour, Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, and Mr Brian Simpson, Member of the Transport and Tourism Committee. Mr Harbour was very positive regarding the work done: "As I have been involved with the e-safety project from its inception, I am delighted to welcome Zita Gurmai's report, and to emphasize the importance of the whole e-safety and Intelligent Car initiative. It is a great example of the European Commission's leadership in bringing all the key stakeholders together". Both MEPs congratulated the industry for the steps taken towards eSafety; but highlighted the fact that it will take some time to see the fruits of all these efforts. "But these steps are worthwhile", Mr Simpson said, "especially since technology can help us reduce CO2 emissions".  

The European Commission, author of the Intelligent Car Communication, was represented by Mr André Vits, Head of the 'ICT for Transport Unit' within Directorate-General 'Information Society and Media'. He very much welcomed Mrs Gurmai's political achievement as shown by the result of the vote and expressed his great appreciation for her efforts to raise awareness of and promote this important initiative to deploy more intelligent technologies in cars for the benefit of all European citizens.
 
High-resolution pictures of the event are available; for more information please contact:

eSafety Support Office
The Blue Tower, 2nd Floor
Avenue Louise, 326
B-1050 Brussels - Belgium

Tel. +32 (0)2 400 07 27
Fax +32 (0)2 400 07 01

info@esafetysupport.org
www.eSafetySupport.org

A more detailed report can also be found under the dissemination events' (eSafety activities) section.