Collision warning hits market

The $2200 Mobileye advance collision warning system alerts drivers to three types of potential hazards, forward accidents, unintentional lane changing and tailgating.

The company distributing the safety system, the Command Auto Group, has had keen interest from business operators and fleets. But CAG's national product manager, Con Stogiannou, says fleet customers are keen on the technology but he believes it has wider appeal for the average motorist.

"It's new technology so it commands a higher price," he says. "But in time prices should come down."

Mobileye uses a smart camera driven by a powerful computer chip and can be fitted to any car or commercial vehicle. Similar technology is found in luxury cars from BMW, Volvo and Cadillac.

Stogiannou says the system also has another feature called Tracktec, which works like an aircraft's black box recorder. Tracktec will record information about how a driver reacts, or fails to react to an incident on the road.

Mobileye has the potential to reduce work-related car accidents and deliver significant cost and time savings for businesses, Stogiannou says. Several truck and commercial fleet operators are already trialing the system.

The Queensland University of Technology's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety estimates that work-related road crashes cost Australia more than $1.5 billion a year, with work vehicle crashes costing businesses $28,122 per accident.

"Overseas this technology has saved business in two ways by reducing crash-related costs and lowering insurance premiums," Stogiannou says.

"I have no doubt it will do the same here."

QUT figures show that work-related crashes account for half of all occupational fatalities and 13 per cent of the national road toll. Fleet vehicles have a higher crash rate than non-fleet vehicles, even though their drivers are less likely to be speeding, tired or drink driving.

Stogiannou says he is encouraged by the Federal Government's recent commitment to promoting collision avoidance technology.

"This technology has been very effective in reducing collisions and driver injuries in places like Europe and America," he says.

"When companies have fewer accidents, there's less to spend on insurance, not to mention avoiding costs like workers' comp and downtime."

The Federal Government is specifically committed to encouraging the uptake of such systems in its National Road Safety Action Plan, developed by the Australian Transport Council.