Navigating traffic is mostly habitual; Our behaviour neither requires a lot of elaborate conscious decision-making, nor is it purely automatic/reflexive. However, most current measures intended to get traffic users to behave safer appeal to our deliberate self (awareness campaigns, speed signs), act autonomously on our behalf (autonomous braking, traffic lights), or seek to “assist” us by presenting feedback/information (Forward Collision Warning, roadside speed displays). However, the latter category of measures is often not effective as users either switch them off or do not act on the information provided. MeBeSafe is looking to directly change our habitual traffic behaviour using “nudging”. This concept from behavioural economics relates to subconsciously stimulating us to make a desired choice, without forcing us if we want to go a different way. Nudging measures are less invasive, give the user choice (but predispose him to make a desired choice) and can be provided earlier in the chain of events leading to a critical situation. We plan to implement nudging feedback both for in-vehicle Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS, existing or close-to-market), and through roadside infrastructure (e.g. measures directed at cyclists). Currently no roadside equivalent of ADAS exists, and we will prototype and demonstrate one version. We will prospectively analyse the effectiveness of suggested nudging measures first by modelling, followed by controlled experiments. We will furthermore conduct a field trial to evaluate the long-term learning effect for one proposed nudging measure. Our consortium includes automotive OEMs and suppliers, road infrastructure and fleet owners, SME’s involved in traffic data analysis, and leading organisations in traffic safety research and modelling.

SynchroniCity represents the first attempt to deliver a Single Digital City Market for Europe by piloting its foundations at scale in 11 reference zones - 8 European cities & 3 more worldwide cities - connecting 34 partners from 11 countries over 4 continents. Building upon a mature European knowledge base derived from initiatives such as OASC, FIWARE, FIRE, EIP-SCC, and including partners with leading roles in standardization bodies, e.g. ITU, ETSI, IEEE, OMA, IETF, SynchroniCity will deliver a harmonized ecosystem for IoT-enabled smart city solutions where IoT device manufacturers, system integrators and solution providers can innovate and openly compete. With an already emerging foundation, SynchroniCity will establish a reference architecture for the envisioned IoT-enabled city market place with identified interoperability points and interfaces and data models for different verticals. This will include tools for co-creation & integration of legacy platforms & IoT devices for urban services and enablers for data discovery, access and licensing lowering the barriers for participation on the market. SynchroniCity will pilot these foundations in the reference zones together with a set of citizen-centred services in three high-impact areas, showing the value to cities, businesses and citizens involved, linked directly to the global market. With a running start, SynchroniCity will serve as lighthouse initiative to inspire others to join the established ecosystem and contribute to the emerging market place. SynchroniCity takes an inclusive approach to grow the ecosystem by inviting businesses and cities to join through an open call, allowing them to participate on the pioneering market place enabling a second wave of successful pilots. They will strengthen the ecosystem by creating a positive ripple effect throughout Europe, and globally, to establish a momentum and critical mass for a strong European presence in a global digital single market of IoT-enabled solutions.