The main objective of SAFETY IN MOTION (SIM) project is to develop an innovative vehicle with new active, preventive and passive safety devices that will result in the decreasing of the number of powered two-wheelers (PTWs) accidents and related consequences for PTW riders (injuries and deaths).
Over 6000 fatalities on European roads in 2001 are related to PTWs. Compared to the overall number of victims on the roads, this figure represents 15% of this dreadful aspect of our society. The European Commission (EC) has launched the 3rd European Road Safety Action Plan with the ambitious goal of reducing the fatalities by 50% in 2010.
The medium term objective is to cut by around 75% the number of persons killed or severely injured by 2025, while the long term vision is to render road transport as safe as all other modes. To this goal, the motorcycle Industry could and have to play a role in improving the safety features of its products, while keeping their characteristics of versatility.
R&D activities will be carried out in the project, addressed to in-depth studies of a suitable safety strategy for PTWs in order to avoid road accidents and/or mitigate their consequences.

Motorcycle safety is a complex concept involving several aspects (preventive, active and passive safety) and several factors (mechanical, human and infrastructural). It is expected that an integrated approach to safety issues will help to describe each different area in which improvement is possible. This approach is believed to be a very efficient way to reach the “ambitious goal” fixed by EC Roadmap for 2010. This integrated approach would establish a matrix relationship between the three main factors or pillars for safety (motorbike, motorcyclist and infrastructure) and the different aspects related to accident dynamics, from before-precipitating event to crash event, dealing with preventive, active and passive safety. SIM focuses on the vehicle safety aspects, including the human-machine-interaction covering preventive, active and passive elements. But the most relevant element in SIM is the ambitious objective of developing a comprehensive safety strategy for motorcycles, structuring cooperation with existing research projects in order to cover adequately all the different fields of application (see Figure 1).


Strategic Objectives Addressed

Main objectives of SIM

Innovation aspects