Active and passive in-vehicle safety technologies are expected to decrease fatalities up to 16 percent.

Experience with emerging safety technologies in Australia

Date Posted
03/05/2013
Identifier
2013-B00827
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Analysis of crash data to estimate the benefits of emerging vehicle technology

Summary Information

A literature review was conducted to develop effectiveness estimates and determine costs for active and passive in-vehicle safety technologies in the United States and New South Wales, Australia. Using historical police reported crash data in New South Wales from 1999 to 2008 researchers estimated safety and cost savings benefits for each technology and then calculated benefit-cost ratios by comparing the estimated benefits to estimated costs required to equip relevant types of vehicles (passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and motorcycles).

The table below drawn from the source report provides a summary of the crash reduction potential, monetized crash savings, and benefit-to cost ratios for the technologies examined. The analysis used a discount rate of 5.5 percent and assumed a constant number of registered vehicles and constant number of crashes. The time frame for each benefit period reflected the service life for each particular type of vehicle (16 years for passenger vehicles, 13 years for trucks and 11 years for motorcycles).

FINDINGS

Technology
Estimated Annual Crash Reductions in Australia[1]
Crash Savings[2]
(2006 $ million US)
Estimated Benefit-to-Cost Ratios
Fatality
(% of all fatalities)
Non-fatal
Injury[1]
Passenger
Vehicle
Truck
Motorcycle
Forward collision avoidance (all speeds)
227 (16%)
54,305
$2,997.83
1.3
1.8
-
Fatigue management systems
150 (10%)
9,301
$728.65
0.5
2.9
2.0
Alcohol interlocks
217 (15%)
9,233
$717.80
0.5
2.5
-
Forward collision avoidance (80 km/hr or greater)
127 (9%)
8,204
$631.69
0.2
1.1
-
Motorcycle ABS
88 (6%)
8,618
$575.25
-
-
27
Dedicated pedestrian detection (daylight)
43 (3%)
6,711
$300.29*
0.2
0.3
-
Lane departure warnings
100 (7%)
4,177
$390.01
0.3
2.2
-
Lane change warnings
14 (1%)
5,031
$264.11
0.2
0.7
-
Seat belt interlocks
88 (6%)
726
$193.92
1.6
3.3
-
Dedicate pedestrian detection (darkness)
54 (4%)
2,007
$168.60*
0.0
0.1
-
Seat belt reminder
71 (5%)
580
$154.85*
1.3
2.7
-
Truck stability
20 (1%)
1,130
$91.17
-
1.5
-
Motorcycle traction control
10 (1%)
1,091
$70.91
-
-
1.7
Rear seat belt improvements
4 (0%)
10,617
$31.11*
0.1
-
-
Motorcycle airbags
2 (0.1%)
51
$5.79*
0.03
[1] Based on BITRE estimates of the numbers of crashes in Australia, 2006
[2] Property damage only crash costs imputed from injury costs except where indicated (next note) 2006 average annual exchange rate $1US =$1.382 Australian
* Property damage only crash costs excluded from estimate
Goal Areas
Deployment Locations