A new innovation to improve European road safety

Vodafone has launched a new platform that aims to connect road users directly with traffic authorities and each other, enabling the real-time sharing of safety information, hazard alerts and up-to-date traffic information, regardless of the system or in-vehicle device they use. The interface is compatible with all third-party applications and in-vehicle navigation systems. Vodafone cooperates with several partners in order to deliver the technology to road users, and plans to introduce the interface in its own Vodafone Automotive application later this year.

The new interface, called STEP (Safer Transport for Europe Platform) aims to eliminate the problem of data fragmentation and information stored separately, which now prevent the exploitation of the traffic safety benefits that connectivity offers. Traffic authorities are often only able to share road safety news through road infrastructure (such as highway bridges, variable message or matrix signs) or a limited number of technology solutions developed by independent manufacturers (such as in-vehicle navigation systems).

STEP offers a solution to these challenges. As an open, cloud-based interface based on industry standards, it enables a wide range of actors – regulators, transport authorities, vehicle manufacturers, mobility providers and other mobile network operators – to collaborate to further improve road safety across Europe.

"Open interfaces that enable faster and more efficient data sharing make it possible for the most important safety information to reach all road users, regardless of what application or system they use. STEP encourages the necessary cooperation between transport authorities, application developers and the automotive industry, thus ensuring that the benefits of data and connectivity are fully exploited, thereby contributing to making European roads safer.” - said Mátyás Dobó, Deputy CEO of Vodafone Hungary Corporate Solutions Business.

At its launch, STEP will be able to facilitate the transmission of safety messages and the latest information issued by road operators about lane closures, speed limits and traffic incidents on the road ahead, through various in-vehicle systems and navigation applications. STEP can also be suitable for modeling the road network using secure, anonymized and aggregated vehicle position data. Vodafone 's long-term goal is that, during the development of the security functions of the interface, warnings about vulnerable road users will also be included (for example, the driver of a large vehicle could receive a warning about cyclists or pedestrians who are nearby and cannot be seen) as well as fleet management or stolen vehicles functions for tracking and supporting usage-based insurance.

The launch of STEP is based on Vodafone 's successful trial, during which the company tested the UK's first "vehicle-to-everything" road safety system (sending information from the vehicle to all other channels) . It is a cloud-based mobility platform that provides live, locally focused, targeted, up-to-date information to road users about lane closures, speed limits and traffic accidents. The 5G Mobility Lab experiments at Vodafone 's test center in Aldenhoven, Germany, also examined how 5G technology and highly accurate location determination can help improve traffic safety .

Vodafone is working with car manufacturers, road management companies, transport authorities, technology partners and application developers to exploit the current and possible future uses of the "Safer Transport in Europe Platform".

(Source: autokalauz.co.hu; Vodafone | Image: pixabay.com)