Vodafone enhances road safety in the Netherlands

Emergency services in the Netherlands will soon be able to respond to incidents faster and more safely by directly letting a greater number of road users and local authorities know they need right of way.

The improved service is a result of the integration of Vodafone’s Safer Transport for Europe Platform (STEP) with a national data service for road authorities in the Netherlands, called the Urban Data Access Platform (UDAP).

Designed to improve safety by connecting cars directly with each other and transport authorities, STEP now receives alerts from UDAP on the location of approaching emergency vehicles. In turn, this information can be shared with multiple car manufacturers so that they can advise their customers to safely pull over and make way, often before they see or hear the approaching ambulance, fire engine or police car.

Supporting emergency response

UDAP is operated for the Netherland’s Ministry of Infrastructure by Monotch, a leading provider of smart mobility solutions. Today, 25% of Dutch drivers interact with the platform through smartphone apps or in-car devices, and all ambulances within the country are connected to the system.

By integrating STEP with this service, Vodafone aims to extend the exchange of anonymised data on the location and progress of emergency vehicles with other road users.

Luke Ibbetson, Head of R&D and Strategy at Vodafone Group, said: “This collaboration is another step towards improving road safety for all road users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, across Europe. Vodafone’s scaled pan-European networks make us uniquely positioned to bring together motor manufacturers with partners like Monotch to build an ecosystem dedicated to making roads smarter and safer.”

Making European roads safer

Launched in 2022, STEP is enabling faster and more efficient safety information sharing with road users, using V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology. The platform addresses the problem of data fragmentation and information silos that limit the benefits connectivity can bring to road safety. Safety information, hazard warnings and traffic updates can be shared quickly no matter which device or in-vehicle system people are using to connect to STEP.

Previously, transport authorities were often limited to delivering safety updates through road infrastructure – motorway gantries, variable-message or matrix signs – or via a limited number of technologies developed by independent manufacturers.

Based on industry open standards, STEP enables a wide ecosystem of participants to work together to improve road safety across Europe. And by working with mobility systems like UDAP, Vodafone aims to reduce response times in emergency situations, as well as shape the future of intelligent transportation, improving road safety and the free flow of traffic for everyone.