News

For decades, vehicle safety has largely been developed and evaluated using models representing an average male occupant. But people come in different shapes and sizes, and safety systems need to protect everyone. The new project Viva Plus aims to improve road safety by enabling sex-neutral virtual testing in vehicle safety development. The project will establish an open library of qualified

The new FFI-funded project QUADRARUM focuses on how automated driving systems and driver assistance systems can act in ways that feel relevant, justified and safe to the user.

SAFER has granted funding to three new pre-studies within the SAFER Idea Exploration Program , an initiative designed to stimulate new collaborations, explore emerging research questions and create the foundation for larger joint projects. The newly funded projects span topics ranging from emergency vehicle operations and AI-supported accident data management to motorcycle safety research. Together, these three projects illustrate the

Can Sweden afford to reach Vision Zero? One clear message from SAFER Research Day was that the real question may be whether we can afford not to. At SAFER Research Day on 2 June, researchers, authorities, industry representatives and practitioners gathered to discuss how road safety is valued, measured and prioritised in real-world decision-making. A recurring message throughout the day was that what gets measured gets prioritised. But several speakers also showed that many important costs are still difficult to capture, communicate and translate into action.

In this issue, you can read about partners’ latest research results, upcoming events and what is happening across the SAFER network. And much more!

The new spaces are purpose-designed for co-creation, learning and collaboration. We warmly welcome you to use them for project meetings, working group sessions, workshops, seminars and other collaborative activities connected to SAFER portfolio projects and project-creation activities, or simply to stop by, work for a while and spend time with here.

Today, Sweden’s new national Action Plan for Safe Road Traffic (2026–2030) is published, bringing together around 40 actors and more than 300 measures aimed at improving road safety. SAFER is proud to be one of the contributing organisations in this joint effort.

On April 28, SAFER partners gathered at Lindholmen for a full day of presentations, discussions, and networking. The aim was simple: to share ongoing research results and explore how these can be taken further through collaboration.

This new project has now joined the SAFER partner project portfolio and addresses the important issue at the intersection of urban mobility, human behaviour and road safety.

On 16 April, Melina Makris successfully defended her doctoral thesis “Beyond the Seat: Exploring Passengers’ Ride Comfort in Cars” at Chalmers University of Technology.

In this edition, you will find an overview of upcoming seminars, workshops and meeting arenas where research, experience and new ideas come together. We also provide access to materials from previous activities, making it easy to revisit insights or explore topics in more depth.

Pierluigi Olleja, Chalmers University of Technology, has successfully defended his PhD thesis Driving Behavior and Safety Targets: A Naturalistic Perspective, March 31, 2026.

In connection with SAFER’s 20th anniversary celebration, special awards were presented to recognise outstanding contributions within the SAFER community. The recipients were: SAFER Collaboration Award; Paul Hemeren, University of Skövde SAFER Project Leadership Award: Mats Svensson, Chalmers University of Technology SAFER Leadership Award: Mats Svensson, Chalmers University of Technology SAFER Idea Development Awards: Sanna Eveby, Guidance To Zero, and Maytheewat

On the IGLAD Steering Group meeting today, which took place along the Expert Symposium on Accident Research (ESAR) at the Medical University in Hannover, Jordanka Kovaceva from Chalmers University has been elected as the new chair of the IGLAD consortium.

The SAFER Annual Report for 2025 has just been released, capturing a year of strong collaboration, growing partnerships and new momentum for road safety research.

For 20 years, SAFER has brought together industry, academia, and the public sector around a shared goal: to generate knowledge, research, and solutions that enhance road safety. When partners gathered at Lindholmen Visual Arena to celebrate the anniversary, one message stood out: road safety is not created in silos, it is created through collaboration.

SAFER continues to grow. At the spring General Assembly meeting, four new partners were welcomed to the platform: City of Helsingborg, MHF (Motorförarnas Helnykterhetsförbund), the Swedish Motorcyclists Association (SMC), and motoTec Labs.

Den 1–2 december samlas vi i Göteborg på Karlatornets konferensanläggning på Lindholmen för Sveriges Trafiksäkerhetsdagar, en unik mötesplats för alla som brinner för säker mobilitet. Med SAFER som värd och i samverkan med Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (SKR) och Trafikverket förenar vi krafter för två dagar fyllda av dialog, samskapande och inspiration som ska bidra till verklig förändring inom trafiksäkerhet.

To support evidence-informed progress in this area, of drunk driving, VTI is launching the Skyltfonden-funded project “Mandatory Alcohol Interlocks in the EU – A Knowledge Base for Advancing the Process” (1 January–31 August 2026). The project will develop a practical knowledge base that brings together user experiences, as well as technical and legal considerations, to help clarify pathways for moving the process forward.

We can now add a new partner project to the SAFER portfolio, with a clear focus on the future of road safety. The European Commission has approved a Coordination Support Action within Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility, involving a wide range of SAFER partners. The project sets the scene for an upcoming large-scale demonstration planned towards the end of the current Horizon Europe program, with the aim of submitting a larger project proposal in October 2026.

The aim of this project is to strengthen speed compliance by introducing practical, data-driven follow-up in municipal fleets, an area where conditions can differ from private companies, which have been the focus of many previous initiatives. Lessons learned in the project will be translated into support material relevant for municipalities.

Work-related driving contributes substantially to road crash risk, particularly among employees who are not professional drivers but face time pressure, stress, fatigue, and discomfort that may impair attention and safe vehicle use. The new partner project Drive Safe at Work addresses this overlooked road safety issue in sectors where employees frequently drive as part of their work.

Today we hosted Barn, Liv och Trafik at Lindholmen Conference Centre in Gothenburg: a full day bringing together practitioners, researchers and decision-makers to talk about children and young people’s everyday mobility, and what it takes to make cities safer, healthier and more liveable.

SAFER’s partners are launching a new project with the aim of developing and making available a reliable test method for measuring the protective performance of hip protectors. The background is that around 15,000–18,000 people suffer a hip fracture every year in Sweden, primarily older adults and women, and that fall-related injuries in the traffic environment are a major but relatively under-researched road safety area.

A new partner project, RIMKOT (Risk Analysis as a Method to measure Consequences for not investing in Traffic Safety), will develop a practical method to identify organisational risks and consequences of not investing in road safety. Using established risk management frameworks, the project will also pinpoint risk mitigation measures where the impact on risk reduction can be clearly measured. Why

VerSACE is a new Vinnova FFI project that aims to make it easier to deliver frequent software updates in automated vehicles without compromising safety. The project develops methods to continuously test, verify, and follow up safety as systems evolve, also for complex software and AI/ML functionality.

INSIGHT is a new partner research project aiming to make our roads safer by detecting when a driver is impaired or has reduced driving ability, while the driving is happening. The project uses real-world driving data and looks closely at glance/gaze behaviour to understand what “normal driving” looks like and when something starts to deviate.

Welcome to explore our latest newsletter!

We are happy to announce the opening of the first call in SAFER's Idea Exploration program this year, aimed at project stimulation by using the benefits of our multi-disciplinary collaboration platform. The call is open for all SAFER partners and pre-studies with a clear traffic safety relevance. However, the Steering Group will prioritise proposals that have been discussed within and

Today, SAFER hosted the webinar “Meet SAFER’s new partners”, where our newest partners introduced their organisations, core competencies, and research interests. It was a great opportunity to get to know new collaborators, spark ideas for joint projects, and bring fresh perspectives into the SAFER community.

The event, “Resilience and Defence in the Transport System – a New Role for Road Safety Research”, aimed to generate joint project ideas through the SAFER collaboration platform to help keep the transport system safe even when society is exposed to disruptions, attacks or crises.

At Transportforum 2026, Sweden’s largest transport conference, NTF and SAFER hosted a session and panel dialogue on how to increase bicycle helmet use in Sweden. The session also marked the official start of a new Kraftsamling (joint national effort) to increase bicycle helmet use, led by NTF during 2026–2027 with funding from Skyltfonden/Trafikverket, and with SAFER contributing as a partner and a neutral arena for dialogue, collaboration, and building a shared way forward.

Funded by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) through the Skyltfonden program, a new national joint effort is now launching to increase bicycle helmet use across Sweden. NTF leads the work, bringing together municipalities, regions, companies and other organisations around evidence-informed actions – while the SAFER community contributes research expertise, networks and knowledge support to strengthen both implementation and learning.

We are pleased to share our new SAFER newsletter - a simple way to keep up with what’s happening in the SAFER network.

Welcome back to SAFER for spring 2026. We are looking forward to a new term with a clear focus on co-creation – generating road safety knowledge together and making sure it is shared and used for real impact.

SAFER HBM is taking the next step: becoming available for global use, opening up new possibilities for faster, more detailed and more scalable traffic safety development, worldwide.

The new partner project EARS will develop and test a prototype that uses guiding sound in headphones — like a “friendly audio guide” to support a person throughout the whole trip.

SAFER has a new partner project in road safety: Interoperable Roadside Unit (RSU) Prototype, led by MittLogik Solutions AB in collaboration with RISE, and funded by Vinnova/FFI.

Konferensen Barn, Liv och Trafik är tillbaka! Missa inte årets viktigaste tillfälle att fylla på med kunskap, nätverka och bli inspirerad kring barns och ungas trafikvardag!

Our latest newsletter is now live, with updates for everyone who wants to make the most of SAFER as a collaboration platform in 2025 and beyond.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for everything you have contributed during 2025. We look forward to continuing to build the next step together in 2026!

We are pleased to share the preliminary program for the SAFER Thursday lunch seminars in spring 2026!

How do we design roads and streets that truly protect vulnerable road users while also supporting more walking and cycling? That question set the starting point for the year’s final SAFER Research Day, delivered as a hybrid half-day at Lindholmen Conference Centre, bringing together researchers and other societal stakeholders in dialogue on safety, sustainability, and delivery capacity.

SAFER, Lund University, and the City of Gothenburg are exploring the need for a new platform that connects research with municipalities’ real-world challenges. The goal is to better support the sustainability transition in cities and transport systems. To map needs and interest, we invite municipalities, regions, and other societal actors within traffic safety to respond to a short survey. Please

Our November newsletter is live with updates for anyone who wants to make the most of SAFER as a collaboration platform.

We are pleased to announce that three new projects have been approved within the SAFER Idea Exploration Program - our funding platform for nurturing cross-disciplinary ideas that can grow into strong future research initiatives. The program encourages collaboration across sectors and disciplines, creating fertile ground where innovative ideas take shape and new partnerships form. It is in this intersection –

In a new partner project within the SAFER platform, VTI is working to better understand how self-ratings of sleepiness affect drivers – and what this means for future driver monitoring systems. The project is called “The alerting effect of sleepiness self-ratings: Implications for GSR compliance and Driver Monitoring Systems”.

We are pleased to welcome I-AIMS2 – Impairment-Aware Intelligent Mobility System 2, a new partner project exploring how driver safety, well-being, and fuel efficiency can be enhanced through the use of artificial intelligence.

SAFER is entering a new phase in its organisational structure based on a three year agreement 2026-2028 – with a Steering Group now taking the lead in the strategic development of the collaboration platform.

We are proud to welcome five new organisations to SAFER’s collaboration platform – all joining forces for a safer and more sustainable transport system. “We are truly delighted to see SAFER’s network developing further. The more perspectives we bring to the table, the better equipped we are to handle the complex transformation needed for a safe and sustainable transport system,”