· The potential market for this technology raises the monthly electric vehicles in the world to 25,000
· Applus+ led the European eVADER project with an international consortium made up of 11 organisations from the automobile industry
Barcelona, December 12, 2014 - Applus+, one of the world's leading testing, inspection and certification companies, has completed its European eVADER (Electric Vehicle Alert for Detection of Emergency Response) project, that aims to prevent pedestrian accidents caused by electric vehicles. The results were presented today at the headquarters of ONCE Catalunya.
The project has come up with a system that adds an artificial sound, which is both directional and adaptive, to these vehicles to alert pedestrians- and in particular the most vulnerable, such as blind people- to their presence.
The initiative could reduce pedestrian accidents by up to 15%. The potential market for this innovative project, which could be implemented immediately is as many as 25,000 electric vehicles per month worldwide.
The Applus+IDIADA division led an
international group made up of 11 not-for-profit organizations, universities and companies from the automobile industry that included: SzM, TU Darmstadt, Siemens, AIT, TNO, INSA-LYON, Nissan, Renault, PSA Peugeot Citröen, Continental and EBU.
Over 150 people took part in this project over a three-year period and it received investment of €2,880,000. The European Commission co-financed 60% of the project costs. Experts from seven European countries participated in the project: Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Several
recent studies have shown that the rapid surge in numbr of electric and hybrid vehicles in city centres has resulted in an increased risk of pedestrian accidents since these vehicles do not generate much noise.
The system works by issuing an audible warning signal when it detects a pedestrian inside its danger zone. This selective function minimises the noise pollution that would be produced from using a constant and indiscriminate sound.
According to Ignasi Ferrer, Director of Innovation at Applus+ IDIADA, "after the development of the world’s most powerful electric prototype in 2013, the eVADER project raised the stakes to ensure the company remains at the forefront of R&D in the field of electric vehicles. This initiative establishes our position as a strategic partner within the international automobile industry, and demonstrates our commitment to creating effective solutions for this sector".
About Applus+ IDIADA
Applus+ IDIADA provides engineering, certification, safety-testing and test-track services to the largest vehicle-manufacturing companies worldwide.
This Applus+ Group division operates one of the most advanced independent testing centres in the world near Barcelona, Spain. With a presence in 22 countries around the world, Applus+ IDIADA has 1,800 employees.
About Applus+ Group
Applus+ is one of the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification companies. The company provides solutions to clients in all types of sectors ensuring that their assets and products comply with health, safety, quality and environmental standards and regulations.
Applus+ carries out business activities in more thant 70 countries and has over 20,000 employees. The company posted sales of €1,619 million in 2014.