The UK will continue to play a key role in shaping future European transport policy following the solus award of the latest European Commission (EC) Automotive Safety Framework to TRL.
The agreement, which is worth around €3m (US$3.2m) over a four-year period, will be spent on research of connected and autonomous vehicles, crash avoidance and active and passive safety technology. It will also focus on the harmonization of global vehicle standards.
Richard Cuerden, chief scientist and research director at TRL, commented, “Over the past eight years, we’ve been privileged to work alongside the EU Commission on many projects which have directly improved safety conditions for drivers, passengers and vulnerable road users in Europe. However, the transport landscape is evolving faster than ever before and there are now even more complex challenges with which policymakers, manufacturers and public authorities must grapple.
“Technological advancement needs to go together with the development of discussions around zero harm and we are committed to supporting the wider automotive industry to understand how European vehicle design can improve safety. This is especially important in light of the evolving relationship between the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA. TRL remains best placed to deliver the outcomes required by the European Commission and automotive industry in this developing landscape.”
January 23, 2017