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Background

Need for Active Safety Systems:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates ("The Economic Impact of Motor Crashes 2000" NHTSA, DOT HS-809-446, May 2002.) the annual societal cost of motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. at $230.6 billion based on

• 6,328,000 reported crashes involving 11.3 million vehicles,
• 4,365,000 crashes per year resulting in property damage,
• 1,925,000 crashes resulting in injuries, and
• 38,252 crashes resulting in 42,643 fatalities.

Need for Active Safety Research:

Impressive progress has been made in active safety product development, but no common standards for human-machine interfaces exist. In other words, one manufacturer might use a tone to warn of a potential hazard, while another might flash an icon on the windshield. Also, neither standard test scenarios nor test methods exist to compare effectiveness of different systems. Without repeatable standardized testing, it is difficult to determine which systems address the largest number of crashes or the largest number of injury- or fatality-crashes. Until research resolves these issues, it is impossible to establish the cost-effectiveness of active-safety devices. Lack of demonstrated cost-effectiveness and lack of standardization have resulted in only limited consumer interest in active safety systems. Thus, it is crucial to automotive suppliers to address these issues. However, addressing them is too costly in terms of resources and manpower for any individual company. In addition, cross-industry agreement is needed to implement test protocols and performance standards. The competitive nature of product development does not naturally lend itself to cooperatively developing standards. This creates a critical need for unbiased leadership.

Addressing the Need:

TASI will provide a collaborative environment, facilitating interaction among academic researchers, automotive suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and government regulatory agencies addressing vehicular active safety issues. Through the partners' combined efforts, TASI activities will help bridge the gap between innovation, market launch, and evaluation of commercial products. This will speed the market introduction of active safety systems, thereby reducing crash-related injuries, loss of life, and property damage, while promoting innovative companies that boost Indiana's economy.