PHOEBE is delighted to announce that our partner FACTUAL Consulting will present our innovative research as part of the ITS session SIS 58 ‘Road safety innovation through advanced technologies for resilient mobility’ – in cooperation with the EU Road Safety Cluster. The session will take place from 10:30-11:30 on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 in Room ‘Madrid D’.

What to expect?

Session 58 will investigate how advanced technologies, including AI, simulation environments, predictive analytics, and human-machine interfaces (HMIs), can enhance urban road safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable groups such as pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with reduced mobility. Participants will engage with key insights and innovations from each project, highlighting their unique contributions:

• Trustworthy AI models for predicting vulnerable road user behaviour and ethical autonomous vehicles (AVs) interactions.
• Resilient systems for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) perception and decision-making in complex and adverse conditions.
• Adaptive and cooperative human-machine interfaces ensuring safe and efficient interactions between vulnerable road users and vehicles.
• An evidence-based framework for predictive road safety assessment in urban planning.
• A data-driven road safety intelligence platform for vulnerable road users (VRUs) and micro-mobility in urban environments.

The session will culminate in a dynamic panel discussion, where speakers will tackle key questions on achieving the EU’s Vision Zero, aiming for close-to-zero fatalities in road transport by 2050, and the future of resilient mobility.

Global road safety statistics always provide a captivating overview of general safety trends across different regions of the world. The Road Safety Report 2024, published annually by the International Transport Forum (ITF), provides an overview of road safety performance for the 40 member countries of the ITF.

Several main takeaways can be made by assessing the data, including a continuous but slow trend of declining road death numbers on a global level after several years with COVID-19 anomalies. Luckily, the number of fatalities among cyclists has decreased by around 10% from 2013 to 2023. Seventeen countries recorded decreases in cyclist fatalities, with the largest reductions observed in Chile (‑63.4%), Poland (‑49.7%), Slovenia (‑43.8%), Korea (‑43.1%), and Norway (‑40%).

Summary of the report

The report underscores the significant disparities in road safety performance between high-income and low-income countries, emphasising the need for tailored interventions to address specific regional challenges.

The report also examines the impact of emerging mobility trends, including the rise of electric vehicles, micro-mobility options such as e-scooters, and advancements in autonomous driving technology. While these innovations present opportunities for reducing emissions and congestion, they also introduce new safety challenges.

Another significant aspect covered in the report is the role of law enforcement and public awareness campaigns in improving road safety. Countries that have implemented strict speed limits, drink-driving laws, and seatbelt enforcement have reported notable reductions in fatalities.

In conclusion, the report calls for a multi-faceted approach to road safety, combining technological advancements, infrastructure improvements, and policy reforms. It urges governments, private sectors, and civil society to collaborate in achieving the ambitious targets set under the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety. While progress has been made, continued investment and commitment are necessary to make roads safer for all users.