The consortium is composed of ERTICO, ACEA, FIA, and VTT, which today are some of the key stakeholders of the eSafety Forum. Their cooperation on this support action constitutes a strong link to the key players from the car industry, public authorities, technology providers, road operators, road users, and research communities. At the same time the participants in eSafety Support from these organisations are positioned in key areas within the eSafety Forum and have all been actively developing the eSafety initiative in cooperation with the European Commission from the beginning. Together these organisations represent the majority of stakeholders for which eSafety in the coming years will make a clear impact on daily business, activities, and life.

Participants

ERTICO – ITS Europe

The main role of ERTICO in eSafety Support is to coordinate the activity and maintain the eSafety secretariat in Brussels with a skilled team of eSafety experts. This secretariat is the main support tool for the eSafety Support partners and eSafety Forum stakeholders. Furthermore, ERTICO strongly supports the outreach activities for eSafety in cooperation with FIA and co-chairs the eCall support activities launched through eSafety Support in close cooperation with ACEA.

Created in 1991, ERTICO is the only public/private partnership for ITS implementation operating at a European level. It is working with the EU to promote and actively support the introduction of ITS services so that these become part of everyone’s daily life. ERTICO co-chairs the eSafety Forum as one of the main founders of the eSafety initiative. In addition, ERTICO coordinates several activities related to eSafety such as the GST project, and is also one of the leading partners in other major integrated projects initiatives such as AIDE and PReVENT. Furthermore, ERTICO is co-chair of the Driving Group of eCall and an active participant in all other working groups within the eSafety programme. 

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European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA)

The main role of ACEA in eSafety Support is to co-chair the eCall support activities (WP 4) and define the guidelines for enhancing the European-wide implementation of eCall. ACEA contributes significantly to the involvement of the automotive industry in the eSafety activities. It makes use of the eSafety Support secretariat for administrative issues related to its activities in the project, and plans to actively participate in the eSafety Support Management Group.

ACEA represents the 13 major European car, truck and bus manufacturers, and is a key interlocutor to the EU Institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg from its offices in Brussels, Tokyo, and Beijing. The European automotive industry is a key player in the European Union of the 21st century. It provides direct employment to more than 1.1 million people and supports - directly or indirectly - another 11 to 12 million jobs. It is an essential part of the economic backbone of Europe due to its own contribution to the overall economy and because it generates significant activities for other industries, such as components, electronics, informatics, telecom and logistics. It contributes to the strength and competitiveness of Europe through fiscal revenue, external trade, research and innovation.

Today, the EU institutions and the European automotive industry are focusing a significant part of their efforts on other areas of key importance, such as the protection of more vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) and the development of eSafety. All these initiatives, and close cooperation with all parties involved, will be essential to reach the ambitious target of halving road casualties by 2010 set in the European Commission’s Road Safety Action Programme. The European automotive industry is decisively contributing towards meeting the EC objective, with a strong commitment to the common cause of improving road safety.

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Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)

The main role of FIA in eSafety Support is to coordinate the User Outreach activities in close cooperation with the eSafety Support secretariat which provides the administrative support to FIA. The importance of reaching the end users is a key issue for the participation of FIA in eSafety Support and the link to its member clubs will be used for dissemination activities. Currently, FIA chairs the User Outreach Working Group of the eSafety Forum and the user outreach activities in eSafety Support will be presented and discussed with this working group. FIA also actively participates in the eSafety Support Management Group.

FIA is a worldwide federation of Motoring and Touring Clubs, bringing together some 150 organisations in five continents. In the European Union, the FIA represents more that 43 million motoring consumers and is therefore considered as the voice of the motorists. Much of the work of the FIA concentrates on defending and promoting the interests of the members and maximising the societal benefits of motoring for all. With these aims in mind, the work focuses on Road Safety, Consumer Protection, Environmental Protection, and the promotion of Sustainable Motoring.

The European Bureau of the FIA Eurocouncil provides representation to the European member Clubs within the European Institutions. The work of the bureau, guided by the Clubs, consists of monitoring the work of the institutions, developing common platforms for the work of the Clubs, and developing and maintaining relations with staff in the European institutions. Additionally, it is engaged in a number of programmes and projects, such as EuroTest and EuroTAP, which further the interests and goals of the members and the federations.

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Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)

The main role of VTT in eSafety Support is to coordinate activities for the implementation road map and define the guidelines for bringing eSafety applications closer to market penetration. VTT co-chairs the eSafety Forum effort in this field through the Implementation Road Map Working Group. It will make use of the eSafety Support office for administrative issues related to its project activities and actively participate in the eSafety Support Management Group.

VTT is a contract research organisation involved in many international assignments. With its 2,800 employees, it provides a wide range of technology and applied research services for its clients, private companies, institutions and the public sector. Its yearly turnover is about €210 million and VTT serves over 5,000 domestic and foreign customers each year. VTT's  Transport Telematics Team develops implementation and production strategies for the needs of public sector and private companies as well as undertakes multidisciplinary research related to Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The areas of expertise include analysis of user requirements, ITS system design and specifications, human-machine interface analysis, and the technical, impact, and socio-economic evaluation of ITS.

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