Traffic accidents are still among the world’s ten leading causes of death. According to the World Health Organization, almost 1.3 million people die on the road each year. That sounds dramatic, and it is so in each and every case. Yet overall, far fewer people die in accidents in Europe today than ten years ago. And the numbers continue to fall. This is primarily due to technical innovations that continue to improve the safety of our cars.

The German automotive industry is a pioneer in the research and development of such solutions. We developed the first production-ready anti-lock braking system (ABS) in Germany forty years ago, something which is taken for granted today. It ensures that cars remain controllable even when the driver slams on the brakes. Since then, many other assistance systems that protect drivers and do various tasks for them have been introduced to market.

Lane assist systems sound warnings and steer against the vehicle drifting out of its lane. Emergency brake assists respond when the distance to the vehicle in front is dangerously low. And the eCall emergency call system, which has been mandatory in all new cars from 2018 on, is a German development as well.