Pilot study of EVA-messages for improved traffic safety and accessibility
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | H&E Solutions AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 345 373 |
| Project duration | November 2020 - May 2022 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | The strategic innovation programme Electronic Components and Systems: |
| Call | Electronic Components and Systems: Feasability Studies 2020 |
Important results from the project
The purpose was to evaluate the effect of EVA messages on the passability of emergency vehicles. The research questions were as follows. (1) How is the driving of the emergency vehicle affected in terms of the average speed and speed variation of the emergency vehicle? (2) How are ambient traffic affected in terms of impact (what proportion of vehicles in the emergency vehicle´s route leave free way) and "reaction time" (how early free way is given)?
Expected long term effects
The results showed that EVA messages caused car drivers to leave free way earlier. Drivers with low ADAS experience were less positive about wanting to receive EVA messages in the future, even though they thought the EVA messages helped them. EVA messages are a good complement to blue lights and sirens for and achieving free way for emergency vehicles, regardless of the drivers´ driving experience and familiarity with driver support systems.
Approach and implementation
According to the original plan, the study was to be carried out as a field experiment with eight ambulances in real traffic in Germany. However, these plans came to be changed when the pandemic with covid-19 meant that the ambulance service that should have participated instead needed all its resources to set up and run emergency rooms. Instead, the method became (after approval by VINNOVA) a simulator experiment with 110 participants. The participants drove about 45 minutes each in the simulator on a three-lane highway.