Increasing the Use of Vehicle Safety Technologies and Measuring Their Impact

This project seeks to improve understanding of in-vehicle safety technologies and their real-world effectiveness on England's Strategic Road Network (SRN). The work addresses a critical gap: current safety models rely on assumptions about how often these technologies are actually used and how effective they are, but these assumptions have low confidence due to outdated effectiveness data and evidence that drivers often disable safety features they find annoying or problematic. The project has two main aims: Aim 1: Quantify how vehicle safety technologies actually perform in real-world conditions (not ideal scenarios) and forecast key performance trends under different usage scenarios. This data will feed into an updated Road to Zero Harm (RTZH) model and a future Safety Outcome Model to enable more accurate target setting for road safety improvements. Aim 2: Provide practical, evidence-based recommendations for National Highways to promote adoption of in-vehicle technologies that will have the greatest impact on reducing serious injuries and fatalities (KSI) on the SRN. The project includes two main work packages: (1) Analyzing trends in technology uptake and safety outcomes, and (2) Understanding user segments, what influences their technology use, and what policy actions might increase adoption. Suppliers should note that a preliminary phase (S30004) has already identified current prevalence and forecast uptake trends to 2050, assessed conditions under which each technology is most effective, and reviewed how different user groups perceive and actually use these technologies. This follow-on work will build on those findings to develop actionable interventions.