Renault was a pioneer in the research and development of safety systems. As early as 1954, the company set up its Physiology and Biomechanics Laboratory to study the consequences of car accidents.

Today, the Group calls on studies made by the LAB (an accident analysis, biomechanics and human behavior laboratory created in partnership with Peugeot) in order to design safer cars. This investment has yielded significant returns, because Renault offers the safest range of vehicles on the market. Laguna was the first car in the world to reach the maximum score of 5 stars in EuroNCAP tests. Today, 12 vehicles, including New Grand Scénic and New Mégane Hatch, have scored 5 stars.

Renault installs its most recent safety systems right across the range. By way of example, emergency brake assist has been installed in the entire Renault range since 2006.

These four priorities form a tight fit that is at the heart of Renault’s approach to safety and responsible mobility.

Preventing accidents
 

Technological developments are applied in order to:

• make motorists more responsible (seat belt alarms, etc.),
• inform drivers of risks (tire pressure monitoring system, etc.),
• help them to stay in control of their environment (automatic headlamps, etc.), 
• keep their concentration (speed limiter, etc.).

Correcting trajectory

When faced with an unexpected situation, drivers are in danger of losing control of their vehicle. Correction systems (ABS, emergency brake assist, ESC, etc.) can help to keep the car on line.

Protecting occupants

Renault vehicles are designed to protect passengers of all ages and body types, irrespective of their position in the vehicle.

Raising public awareness to reduce the number of accidents durably

Human error causes 80% of road accidents, which is why Renault has taken action to raise universal awareness, in every country where the company is established.

While the number of victims in Europe has declined over the last 15 years, there is a danger that road accidents will increase in developing countries. The causes and consequences of road accidents differ from one country to another, which is why Renault must take these specific factors into consideration in the design of its vehicles as it expands into new international markets. Renault is extending its accident studies beyond the borders of Europe, towards its decentralized engineering centers. This move has resulted in the creation of dedicated teams, transfers of skills and cooperation with local universities.

The Group is also involved in numerous projects that aim to provide global solutions to road safety issues.

Renault is one of the seven worldwide automotive and oil companies that are championing the cause of road safety as part of the Global Road Safety Initiative (GRSI). The initiative’s goal is to improve road safety in developing countries. Under the auspices of the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), the GRSI funds local actions and encourages the transfer of know-how to emerging countries. In 2009, the GRSI continued to grow in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), China and Brazil, where Renault successfully launched the Pro-active Partnership Strategy (PPS). This initiative aims to reduce the number of road accidents and victims of road accidents through a partnership between local authorities, the private sector and NGOs. Renault renewed its commitment to the GRSI program for five more years at the first ministerial conference on road safety, which was held in Moscow in November 2009.

In 2000, the European Commission created the e-Safety forum, which unites public and private partners around a single goal: to significantly increase road safety in Europe, mainly through new technologies. This forum is made up of 10 working groups. Renault’s experts are closely involved in the “eCall”, “Real-time travel and traffic information” and “Smart vehicles” working groups.