IMPROVE_ICT: International and Multidisciplinary Perspective on users with Respect to the special needs of Older Vehicle drivers to Enhance ICT

IMPROVE_ICT aims to create a multi-disciplinary and multi-view community of stakeholders sharing the objective of providing best practices, needs and requirements to car designers to cope with the specific ICT needs of older driver. Based on the results of the research an exemplary prototype of an assitive technology will be developed.

IMPROVE_ICT will provide improved knowledge about the usability and suitability of ICT in car devices concerning the older driver. The project will help to gain a clear picture from a multidisciplinary point of view to identify functionalities of ICT in car tools and devices that can really support the older driver and enhance safe driving and will define limits of usability by older people. The mobility needs of elderly will be considered at the European level. IMPROVE_ICT will serve as a basis to define new standards and directions for designers and manufacturers. From the industry perspective, IMPROVE_ICT will act as a generator of research and development directions that might lead to innovation and creativity for the benefit of older drivers and help European key players in car industry to enhance their market position and become more competitive on the world market, as they will be able to access new markets for independent and active living products and services. The project will help to reinforce European academic and industrial knowledge base and excellence.
IMPROVE_ICT aims beside this to create a multi-disciplinary and multi-view community of stakeholders sharing the objective of providing best practices, needs and requirements to car designers to cope with the specific ICT needs of older driver. This knowledge will be the basis for further European and national standard settings. This enhanced knowledge will on a long term perspective serve to ensure the mobility of senior citizens and provide access to social activities. One main element of the project will be the organisation of multidisciplinary workshops on national and international level including researchers from various fields, industry representatives, end users and associations.
IMPROVE_ICT is based on the research results from various disciplines and industrial sectors, stating the need for the improvement of knowledge related to ICT tools responding to the requirements of the growing percentage of older drivers. It is tightly connected with the AAL169 initiative.

The project’s objectives are designed to address target users with age-related impairments “on the move”. It will help to prolong personal autonomy, prolong active participation in society, provide a basis for multi-disciplinary RTD beyond state-of-the-art research, involve end users from the early stage on and include industry representatives. It therefor covers a wide range of objectives that are supposed to be met with the call for proposals.

older driver
multi-disciplinary description of user needs
international cooperation
standard setting
ICT in car devices

Industry partner: The consortium is looking for partners that represent the automotive industry, to reflect the point of view of the industry in the field and to assure usability and exploitation of the results achieved by the project.

The partner would work closely togteher with the research partners involved in the project. He will especially be implied in the 2nd stage of the project where the project results will be analysed and validated according to their usability and practicability, as well as during the development of the prototype and during a possible testing phase.

Partners working in the automotive industry

No