Provide alternative solutions

Our initiative addresses critical road safety challenges that are often overlooked in traditional driver education. Most driving schools focus on basic vehicle operation, but not on real-life risk anticipation, distraction management, or defensive mindset.

Key problems tackled by our VR Defensive Driving System include:

Driver distraction, especially due to smartphones and infotainment systems

Poor anticipation of traffic risks, particularly in urban and mixed traffic

Lack of situational awareness and understanding of the “big picture” around the vehicle

Insufficient consideration for other road users, including vulnerable groups

Specific risks related to pedestrians and cyclists, especially in city environments

Our project empowers drivers of all ages and experience levels to build mental habits that keep them and others safe – by learning to observe more, react earlier, and drive smarter.

Cycling to work is sustainable, accessible, inclusive, low-cost, and healthy.

A mental shift – changing attitudes, perceptions, and habits – is essential before a modal shift can occur, because employees must first believe in the safety, practicality, and benefits of cycling before they are willing to change their daily transport choices.

We focus on the risks associated with cycling to work. Many employees lack the safety awareness and practical skills to navigate these challenges.

We identify three core road safety problems:
1. Distraction while cycling: using smartphones, GPS devices, or headphones significantly impairs attention and reaction time.
2. Inappropriate speed, particularly on electric bicycles: the higher speeds of e-bikes require better anticipation and control, yet many cyclists are unaware of the dangers this poses in mixed traffic.
3. Cycling under the influence: alcohol or drug use, even in small amounts, dramatically reduces a cyclist’s coordination and judgment.

These challenges are compounded by a lack of targeted, practical training for adult commuters. Our project uses immersive virtual reality simulations to allow employees to experience these risks in a controlled environment, raising awareness, changing perceptions, and promoting safer cycling behavior. The ultimate goal is achieving a mental and modal shift toward safer, more sustainable mobility choices.

The main road safety challenge that was addressed by the project is driving under the influence (DUI) and the impaired judgement and delayed reaction time as consequences. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs significantly impairs a driver's cognitive and motor functions, leading to poor decision-making and slower responses to hazards.

ARV-auto battles this challenge by:
o Creating awareness campaigns: Implementing targeted public education campaigns highlighting the dangers of impaired driving and promoting sober alternatives such as designated drivers and ride-sharing.
o Supporting law enforcement: Collaborating with local police on sobriety checkpoints and enhanced DUI patrols, especially during high-risk periods (e.g., weekends, holidays).
o Doing policy advocacy: Supporting stricter DUI laws, including lower blood alcohol content (BAC) limits and the use of ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders.

Program design to solve several road safety challenges for higher school students:

1. Expand Knowledge About Safe Road Traffic Practices
Many students lack formal education on road safety beyond basic traffic rules.
• Providing comprehensive road safety theory, including updated traffic laws, defensive driving techniques, and situational awareness.
• Teaching risk assessment skills, such as identifying potential hazards and understanding the impact of speed, fatigue, and distraction.
• Simulations and case studies that help students understand real-world consequences of unsafe driving behaviors.
2. To develop knowledge about the safety and use of micromobility vehicles.
Promote the correct use of bicycles, e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles as an alternative to promote green mobility culture.
• Offering specific modules on micromobility, covering legal regulations, safe riding practices, and correct equipment use (e.g., helmets, lights).
• Demonstrating shared space etiquette, including how to safely interact with pedestrians, cars, and other micromobility users.
• Promoting vehicle maintenance awareness, like checking brakes, battery levels, and tire conditions.
3. Road safety awareness, road culture and sense of responsibility.
Road safety is not only about knowledge and traffic roles, but also about attitudes and behaviors.
• Workshops on respectful and ethical driving, emphasizing patience, empathy, and mutual respect among all road users.
• Addressing aggressive driving behaviors, such as road rage, tailgating, and inappropriate honking.
• Fostering civic responsibility, encouraging students to act as positive role models and promote safe practices in their communities.

For a long time our roads have prioritized movement, and their design was left to traffic engineers.

But with the many challenges we face, streets need to serve more purposes beyond traffic flow. Streets are shared public spaces that should serve more goals (SDGs) and should reflect the diverse needs of all users. To turn this conversation around we launched “De rechtvaardige straat”(The Just Street).

The five guiding principles of the manifesto reframe how streets can be viewed and shaped. Creating a more inclusive, safe, and a more social and vibrant space between buildings. Safety is emphasized through thoughtful design that invites walking, cycling, and lingering without fear. Key elements include variety, accessibility, and active public participation in shaping the street environment.

Supported by thousands of citizens and hundreds of organizations, we offer this community actionable tools: inspiring content, events, and an annual action week. Together, we reclaim the street as a truly public space—where even drivers feel safe from making unintended mistakes, and all users can coexist with confidence and care.

Our goal is nothing less than systemic change: towards streets that foster safety, equity, and livability for everyone. Through De Rechtvaardige Straat, we are building a new understanding of what purpose streets serve and in parallel outline a new standard for road design and use—one that values every life and every journey. More safe streets as a result of more just and human centered streets.

Blind and elderly people are higly vulnerable road users. While cooperating in the Hamburg Teststrecke für Autonomous and Vernetztes Fahren (TAVF), we experienced that their needs are hardly being addressed. Furthermore, projects addressing their needs never seem to go beyond a short project state. The "Routago" map for blind people has gone bankrupt, just like few manufacturerers of e-walkers (e. g. ello).
Blind people's only orientiation is limited to a 80 € cane without any sensors while cars are having lane changing systems, park assistants etc.

Alcohol-related accidents are one of the most preventable yet persistent causes of road fatalities. In Europe, they represent a significant share of traffic deaths, especially in nightlife settings such as bars, clubs, festivals, and sports events. These are environments where individuals often underestimate their level of intoxication and decide to drive without assessing their fitness. Most of these venues lack accessible and non-stigmatizing tools to help individuals evaluate their condition before driving. Traditional campaigns are costly and not scalable, leaving a gap in continuous on-site prevention. Fline addresses this challenge with the FlineBox, an interactive, self-service breathalyzer designed for high-risk environments. It enables real-time testing, encourages behavioral change, and collects anonymized data to support targeted public safety strategies. This initiative offers a scalable and sustainable solution to bridge the gap between awareness and action, directly reducing risk where it occurs.

Veilig Over is een initiatief dat ernaar streeft voetgangers veilig te laten oversteken en dat bovendien iedereen toestaat om ook zélf aan te duiden waar er nood is aan een veilige oversteekplaats, via een onlineplatform veiligover.be. Samen oversteken veilig maken, dat is de ambitie van ‘Veilig Over’. Dit doen we met een unieke samenwerking met lokale en regionale overheden & burgerparticipatie en citizen sciene & wetenschappelijke evaluatie (met Vias institute). Dit alles met als resultaat: de concrete verwezenlijking van een veilige oversteekplaats op het terrein!

Driving in the wrong direction (commonly referred to as “kamikaze driving”) is one of the most dangerous incidents on roads and highways. In Spain alone, according to the Spanish Traffic Management Center (DGT), over 300 wrong-way driving incidents are reported each year. Studies show that wrong-way crashes are up to 27 times more likely to result in fatality compared to other types of highway accidents.
This type of incident often stems from driver confusion, impairment (e.g., alcohol or drugs), or poor signage, and poses a critical challenge for traffic safety authorities and infrastructure operators across Europe.
PROIN-iWrongWay is an intelligent traffic safety system designed to detect vehicles driving in the wrong direction on roads and highways. The system uses real-time monitoring to identify reverse traffic incidents and immediately activates roadside warning signals to alert the driver. Simultaneously, it notifies local authorities for rapid response and incident management.
The system is fully connected to PROIN’s IoT platform (ProinCloud), enabling remote monitoring, data analytics, and system diagnostics. It also integrates seamlessly with external smart city and ITS platforms such as Sentilo and others, ensuring full interoperability.
Moreover, PROIN-iWrongWay is connected to DGT, allowing for direct coordination and enhanced national-level traffic control.