Objectives of the service
SafeRide aims to address the critical safety concerns of cyclists, who face significant risks from accidents and delayed emergency responses. Cyclists, especially in urban environments, are vulnerable to collisions and falls, often with limited immediate assistance. The key problems users face include the lack of timely emergency alerts and reliable accident detection.
SafeRide provides a comprehensive solution by leveraging advanced smartphone sensors to detect accidents in real-time. When a fall or crash is detected, the system automatically alerts emergency services with the cyclist's precise location, ensuring rapid response and potentially life-saving intervention.
This service is designed to be universally accessible, requiring no additional hardware beyond a standard smartphone. SafeRide’s user-friendly interface ensures easy adoption by cyclists of all levels, from casual riders to professionals. The scalable pricing model makes the service affordable, with decreasing costs as user numbers increase.
By integrating sophisticated algorithms with existing smartphone technology, SafeRide enhances the safety and peace of mind of cyclists, promoting a safer and more sustainable mode of transportation. This solution empowers cyclists with the confidence that help is always just a moment away.
Users and their needs
SafeRide targets a diverse cycling community across multiple countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other European nations with high cycling populations. The users encompass casual cyclists, commuters, sport cyclists, e-bike users, and cycling enthusiasts and professionals. Casual cyclists need reliable accident detection and immediate emergency response while riding in urban areas or parks. Commuter cyclists require consistent safety monitoring during daily commutes, particularly during rush hour traffic. Sport cyclists demand high accuracy in detecting high-speed falls on challenging terrains. E-bike users need tailored fall detection algorithms that account for higher cruising speeds and mixed-use paths. Cycling enthusiasts and professionals seek advanced features like customizable alerts and detailed post-incident analytics.
The main challenges for the project include ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the accident detection algorithm across various cycling conditions, maintaining user privacy and data security, and integrating seamlessly with emergency services in different countries. Additionally, SafeRide must address the variability in smartphone sensor performance and ensure the system's ease of use to encourage widespread adoption. By meeting these needs, SafeRide aims to enhance cyclist safety and promote a safer, more sustainable mode of transportation across Europe.
Service/ system concept
SafeRide enhances cyclist safety by providing real-time accident detection and automatic emergency alerts. When a fall or crash is detected, the system sends the cyclist's precise location to emergency services, ensuring rapid response. Key features include reliable accident detection using smartphone sensors, customizable alert settings, and detailed post-incident analytics.
The system works by leveraging the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors in smartphones to monitor for sudden impacts or abnormal movements indicative of an accident. Upon detecting such events, SafeRide uses GPS data to determine the exact location and automatically triggers an emergency alert.
The high-level system architecture includes three main components: the smartphone app, the backend server, and emergency service integration. The smartphone app detects accidents and sends data to the backend server. The backend server processes this data to confirm an accident and then communicates with emergency services to provide location and incident details. This seamless integration ensures timely assistance and enhances overall cyclist safety.
Space Added Value
SafeRide leverages GNSS technologies to provide precise location data for accident detection and emergency response. The integration of these space assets ensures unparalleled accuracy in incident localization, which is critical in emergency situations where every second counts.
By using satellite-based positioning, SafeRide can reliably determine the exact location of a cyclist in diverse environments, including urban areas with dense infrastructure and remote terrains where traditional methods might fail. This accuracy significantly enhances the effectiveness of the emergency alert system, ensuring that help is dispatched to the correct location without delay.
Overall, the combination of space assets with advanced accident detection algorithms sets SafeRide apart, offering a robust and dependable solution that enhances cyclist safety in ways that non-satellite-based systems cannot match.
Current Status
The SafeRide project has successfully completed its initial prototype phase, including the integration of accident detection algorithms with smartphone sensors. Three workshops were held in Frankfurt, each attended by 20 cyclists, to gather user feedback and refine the system.
Prime Contractor(s)
