Along with European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc and Deputy Mayor of Paris Christophe Najdovski, Mr Todt discussed the future of ITS and road safety.

While acknowledging the contribution of many ITS solutions to prevent road crashes and to help cities design safer streets, he invited the audience to reflect on the practical deployment of ITS solutions, a goal that requires a shared vision at the international level.

Only prioritising innovations that carry a lasting and sustainable impact will generate long-term road safety benefits.

Governments have a key role in creating the conditions for an effective deployment strategy, which focuses on industry involvement and consumer information. 

Electronic Stability Control (ESC), estimated to save 4,000 lives per year, was introduced in cars in the early 1990’s but the technology only reached its full life-saving potential in 2014, when it was made mandatory in all vehicles.

From a safety perspective, a key success factor in the implementation of any new system is informing users on the technology’s benefits as consumers can easily switch off features or ignore warning signals.

Large scale deployment would also allow an easier transfer of the innovation in developing countries, where innovations are crucial to reach sustainability goals.

In particular, Mr. Todt insisted on the need to bridge the gap in road safety performance between countries with different levels of development, so that everybody can enjoy the benefits of safer mobility worldwide.

The mandatory application of the United Nations regulations for front, side, and pedestrian impact and Electronic Stability Control to all new cars sold in all markets, must be seen as a precondition that can enable the deployment of active safety technology in the regions that would benefit the most of ITS safety applications.

“The ITS World Congress brings together leading industry players: deploying a minimum set of safety standards needs to be seen as a shared responsibility. It is my hope that the entire automotive industry present here in Copenhagen can share this view and support this process. As President of the FIA and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, I count on your full support to deploy safety technologies in low- and middle-income countries at the fastest possible rate.”, concluded Mr Todt.