In the pursuit of achieving sustainable, intelligent, and cost-effective future mobility within the European Union (EU), there is a fundamental emphasis on enhancing safety and resilience against both natural disasters and man-made disruptions. The recently released JRC report, titled “Research and Innovation in Transport Safety and Resilience in Europe,” meticulously maps European innovation endeavors geared towards these objectives, pinpointing key areas of focus such as human factors, cyber security, and climate-proof infrastructure.
The comprehensive study underscores road transport as a domain necessitating significant progress, particularly due to the persistently high number of avoidable accidents in Europe. The report identifies interventions like promoting a safety culture, safeguarding human vigilance, safe infrastructure design and maintenance, and the integration of automation and assisted driving as pivotal measures to enhance road safety.
While planes, trains, and boats exhibit commendable safety records with low fatalities, the report acknowledges the role of digitalization and automation in maintaining this track record in the future.
The report derives its conclusions from an analysis of select EU-funded projects, as identified through the Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) database. It serves as a valuable guide, illustrating how research and innovation initiatives are shaping the future of transport safety and resilience in Europe.
Road Transport: Research and innovation efforts have been instrumental in addressing safety challenges across various transport modes. Notably, recent data indicates a 10% decrease in road accidents from 2019, with over 20,000 fatalities recorded in 2022. The report highlights 48 out of the 143 EU-funded projects focusing on road transport and adopting a safe system approach. These projects combine technological innovations with non-technological measures and behavioral adaptations, targeting areas like infrastructure and safe vehicle technologies.
Proposed initiatives include the use of AI computer vision to detect hazardous traffic situations, alert drivers, and take evasive action, contributing to the goal of minimizing road-related fatalities and serious injuries in the EU by 2050.
Aviation, Rail, and Maritime Transport: The report applauds the exemplary safety records of aviation, rail, and waterborne transport. With no fatal accidents for EU commercial aircraft since 2016, the aviation sector sets new safety standards despite increased air traffic. Ongoing efforts in aviation focus on AI-assisted navigation, air traffic management, safety nets, and airport operations to ensure risk-free travel.
Similarly, the railway sector has witnessed a 38% decrease in accidents compared to 2010, primarily through prioritizing infrastructure safety and security. Innovative projects in maritime transport aim to eliminate human error as a leading factor, with the development of detection and warning systems, smart safety equipment, and procedures to protect passengers and crew members.
Transport Resilience Against Crises: Large-scale disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war in Ukraine underscore the importance and fragility of transport systems. The report identifies policy measures aimed at strengthening resilience against natural and man-made crises, including the completion of the Single European Transport Area and the Contingency Plan for Transport.
However, the complexity and interconnectedness of the EU transport system pose challenges to resilience. Fifty EU-funded projects analyzed in the report focus on advanced monitoring techniques, ICT, and AI technologies to identify vulnerabilities, predict disruptions, and develop frameworks for informed decision-making during disruptions.
The research trends identified in the study converge towards operational resilience at the vessel and network levels, resilient physical and digital infrastructure, fleet resilience, critical infrastructure resilience, and cybersecurity. The report concludes by suggesting key areas for future research and policy initiatives, including resilience design and certification, virtual testing, and data- and AI-driven resilience monitoring and response.
Two policy briefs complement the report: “Research and Innovation in Transport Safety in Europe” and “Research and Innovation in Transport Resilience in Europe.”
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