Euro NCAP has partnered with Data for Road Safety (DFRS) in a new initiative to introduce live hazard warnings for vans. The collaboration involves feeding real-time data on road hazards that are collected by road operators and individual vehicles and then fed into DFRS’s cloud-based system, which will distribute safety-critical alerts to drivers of compatible vans.
Joost Vantomme, Chair of DFRS, described the platform as a cooperative effort involving vehicle manufacturers, service providers, suppliers and road authorities. He emphasised that DFRS aims to contribute significantly to the European Vision Zero goal of nearly eliminating road fatalities by 2050.
Starting in 2026, Euro NCAP will require vehicle manufacturers to share local hazard data to achieve high scores in the Safe Driving Vehicle Assistance category. While DFRS’s system is recommended for distributing this data, manufacturers may also opt for direct vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology.
Richard Scram, Technical Director of Euro NCAP, highlighted the collaboration as an industry first that will ensure access to the most current and trusted safety data. He added that this information will underpin new testing protocols from 2026 and enhance the safety of all European road users over time.