News

Speed is one of the most important factors influencing the outcome of a road crash, and even small reductions can make a significant difference. As intelligent speed assistance (ISA) becomes increasingly common in new vehicles, an important question remains: how much does the technology actually influence driving behaviour in everyday traffic? A new SAFER partner project, led by Edeva in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), aims to bring new evidence to this question and support future decisions on road safety.

Intelligent Speed Assistance is designed to help drivers stay within speed limits, but understanding its real-world safety benefits requires more than knowing how the technology performs under controlled conditions. We also need to understand what happens when vehicles equipped with ISA are used on ordinary roads, alongside other vehicles and in real traffic conditions.

The new partner project, Evaluation of ISA on state roads using A-to-B speed data, will investigate whether vehicles equipped with ISA travel at lower speeds and comply with speed limits more consistently than vehicles without the technology. By collecting speed data over an extended period on a Swedish state road with an 80 km/h speed limit, the researchers will compare speeds measured at specific points with average speeds over a longer road section. This approach can provide a more complete picture of driving behaviour and help identify whether any differences extend beyond individual measurement locations.

Turning technology into measurable road safety benefits
The potential societal value goes well beyond evaluating a single vehicle technology. Speed management is fundamental to achieving Vision Zero, and better knowledge of how emerging driver assistance systems influence actual behaviour can help authorities, researchers and industry make more informed decisions about future road safety measures.

For Trafikverket, the findings could contribute valuable evidence when assessing the effects of ISA and considering how vehicle technology can complement infrastructure, regulation and other measures to improve speed compliance. For the wider road safety community, the project offers an opportunity to better understand how technological progress translates into safer everyday mobility.

Collaboration that helps knowledge make a difference
The project brings together Edeva's work with speed measurement and data analysis and Trafikverket's knowledge of the road transport system, infrastructure and traffic safety needs. Funded through Trafikverket's Skyltfonden, the research is also connected to SAFER's project portfolio, creating opportunities to share findings, exchange perspectives and bring new knowledge to a wider network of road safety stakeholders.

This is an important part of the value of collaboration: connecting those who develop and evaluate solutions with those who can put the knowledge to use. Through the SAFER platform, we look forward to following the project, sharing its findings and supporting the dialogue on how evidence from real traffic environments can contribute to more effective road safety measures.

Ultimately, the value of intelligent speed assistance will be measured not only by what the technology is capable of doing, but by the difference it makes on our roads. Building that understanding together is an important step towards a safer road transport system for everyone.

About the project
Evaluation of ISA on state roads using A-to-B speed data is led by Edeva AB in collaboration with Trafikverket and funded by Skyltfonden. The project is planned to run from June 2026 to December 2027 and is part of SAFER's partner project portfolio.