Better security situation not only in the use but also in the production of cars

The car has an influence on the safety at each stage in its life cycle. Not only changes it the way mobility is organized in the countryside and in the cities including the level of safety in transportation. Safety is also a concern in the production stage. Although the automotive industry is not generally considered as being particularly aggressive towards the environment, industrial nuisances rank as a major concern for many members of the public. This concern is expressed on two levels: everyday quality of life around the plants and, more generally, the real or perceived risks of ecological accidents. Industrial plants of major international companies like the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group implement a global policy that seeks both to protect the environment and to safeguard quality of life around the plant, including the Wuhan plant in Hubei province .
For instance, 85% of production waste is recovered. The Group's final assembly plants produce around 700,000 tonnes of metal waste a year. This waste is re-used in the iron and steel industry or in foundries. The other types of waste produced by the Group totaled 505,000 tonnes in 2000. This waste is highly diverse and disposal therefore requires a wide variety of specific processes. Today, a full two-thirds of waste are recovered, with just one-third going to landfill. If we include metal waste, the recovery rate is 85%. This assures a higher level of safety for the workers, the environment and the society.

Infrared technology reduces car accidents at night

Road transport by car has become much safer today than it used to be in past decades. International car producers invest a lot of money and brainpower of their experts into increasing the road safery of their products, PSA group for instance uses about 150 millions euros each year for this purpose, concentrating on three interrelated fields:
- the understanding of the drivers behaviour and the improvement of his perception and control
- the enhancement of the road performance of the vehicle and
- the protection of the vehicle occupants in the case of an accident.

But due to the steady increase in the number of cars in use worldwide, still around 700.000 people die each year in road accidents.

One reason for fatal crashes can the lack of sight when driving at night. In France for instance 1/3 of all accidents happen during nighttime, even so only one fifth of traffic is happening during this time. Human beings cannot see in the dark, but infrared cameras can. PSA group developed "Night Vision" which uses computer-operated infrared technology which can alarm the driver in realtime when obstacles are on the road even at night, in fog or when the sun is shining directly towards the driver. The images are either put on a screen next to the steering wheel or projected directly onto the windscreen in front of the driver.
Look at the above demonstration.