Launch of the eSafetyAware! ‘Choose ESC!’ campaign

12 March 2007

The Europe wide ‘Choose ESC!’ campaign will be launched at the Bridgestone European Testing ground near Rome on 8^th May 2007.

The Rome launch will feature the release by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) of an EU wide ESC availability survey. The event will also include live demonstrations comparing the performance of a car with and without the system engaged.

ESC can reduce road crashes by more than 20 percent, especially in wet or icy conditions. However, there is a low take-up rate of this life-saving technology across Europe and a lack of consumer awareness of its safety benefits (as shown in a recent authoritative Commission Eurobarometer study).

Participants at the event will include all the major stakeholders in intelligent vehicle safety systems including motoring organisations, consumer groups, motor industry and related service suppliers, national authorities from EU member states and representatives of the news media. The ‘Choose ESC!’ event is organised in cooperation with Euro NCAP and the European Commission.

RoadSafe will coordinate the UK Choose ESC!’ campaign together with partners: DfT

Think ,Thatcham http://www.thatcham.org/esc/index.jsp?page=239 and

Bosch. http://www.bosch-esperience.com/

The eSafetyAware! Communications Platform is a joint non-profit public/private partnership with 35 members (including Bridgestone and the FIA Foundation). It is chaired by the Foundation’s Director General, David Ward. The ‘Choose ESC’ campaign is also officially supported by the European Commission.

www.esafetyaware.eu