When cars talk to each other: How V2X protects vulnerable road users
A truck stops at an intersection, blocking the view. Behind it, a car approaches, while from the right a cyclist rolls in. Who goes first, who waits – in real life, that often decides between serious injuries or worse. But on this day in February in Geneva, everything stays calm. Even before the people involved can grasp the danger, sensors and wireless communication signal: Caution, risk of collision. The car brakes, the cyclist continues safely.
This scene is not a vision of the future, but part of a live demonstration by DEKRA at the United Nations Inland Transport Committee (ITC). To an audience of international transport policymakers, the team shows the potential of V2X communication – “Vehicle to Everything” – to better protect unprotected road users.
Backed by hard figures: In the EU, around 20,400 people lost their lives in road accidents in 2023, many of them cyclists. One focal point is urban traffic – 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in the EU‑27 occur on urban roads, 70 percent of them are vulnerable road users. 57 percent of all fatalities occur on urban roads, often in complex intersection situations. Rural roads are also critical: on a three‑year average, they account for more than half of all road deaths, and 43 percent of affected cyclists lose their lives there. V2X targets both worlds – city and countryside: by enabling earlier perception, especially when visibility is obstructed or speed differentials are particularly large.
Everyday situations that decide between life and death
For Christoph Nolte, Executive Vice President of DEKRA and Head of the Service Division Vehicles, the scene at the intersection is more than a test setup. It reflects the daily risk in road traffic:
“Vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians face a high risk of injury or death on our roads. All statistics show this,” says Nolte. “More than half of all fatal accidents involving cyclists in the EU occur in urban areas, often in complex intersection situations.”
DEKRA translates exactly these situations into concrete V2X applications. Three scenarios are at the center of the demonstration in Geneva:
- A car and a cyclist approach an intersection, a truck blocks the view.
- A car approaches a slowly moving cyclist from behind.
- A car turns and suddenly crosses the path of a cyclist.
Each of these scenarios corresponds to a precise use case. In “Intersection Movement Assist”, V2X bridges the blind spot: A car is rolling towards a stop line while a truck blocks the driver’s view into the intersection area. An approaching cyclist transmits their position – a warning message appears in the car, while the bicycle’s front light starts flashing. This creates awareness of a hazardous situation long before the driver and cyclist can see each other.
On a rural road, the “Slow Cyclist Ahead” scenario uses the same mechanism – under different conditions. A car approaches a cyclist from behind, the closing speed is high, the reaction window short. Via V2X, the driver receives early information in the vehicle, while the bike’s rear light comes on. The signal is: A slow road user ahead, adjust speed, prepare for an overtaking maneuver. And in the third scenario – a turning car crossing a cyclist’s path – the system issues a warning before the turning maneuver and highlights the presence of the cyclist through a flashing rear light, so that the driver can anticipate the cyclist’s line and does not cut across their path.
What all three cases have in common: For humans, they are hard to assess because visibility, attention and reaction time are limited. V2X communication expands this perception space. Vehicles and infrastructure exchange data, warn of hidden dangers and thus create valuable seconds to brake or adjust driving behavior.
“Our awareness is based on perception, so it can make a big difference if we are alerted to critical situations at an early stage,” explains Nolte. “V2X has the potential to make road users aware of a potentially critical situation before they would even have a chance to perceive it – which creates a whole new dimension of safety.”
Coalition for Cyclist Safety: Cross-industry for Vision Zero
Behind the demonstration in Geneva stands an alliance with a common goal: fewer serious accidents, more safety for unprotected road users. The Coalition for Cyclist Safety was founded in 2023 and brings together experts from the telecommunications, automotive and technology industries. Its mission: to drive the widespread adoption of V2X technology with a special focus on cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Companies such as Volkswagen, Bosch eBike Systems and Commsignia as well as partners like ADP Engineering and Bulls Bikes / ZEG support the DEKRA demonstration at the ITC. The idea: When vehicles, infrastructure and bicycles “talk” to each other, dangerous situations can be detected before they escalate.
In this way, the Coalition supports the global “Vision Zero” initiative: the vision of a world without road deaths. For DEKRA, this is a logical step: Since 1925, the company has been working to identify, understand and control risks.
“Since its foundation in 1925, DEKRA has been working to make mobility safe. That has not changed at its core, even 100 years later,” stresses Christoph Nolte. “We are honored to again have the opportunity to contribute to the important discussions at the ITC annual session in order to make the right decisions for tomorrow’s transport.”
Policy, regulation and technology at one table
The Inland Transport Committee of UNECE is the United Nations’ highest decision‑making body for inland transport. Under the title “Driving innovation for the future of inland transport”, the 88th session in Geneva discusses how new technologies can be used responsibly – with a clear goal: to make transport safer, more environmentally friendly and more resilient.
“This year’s topic, ‘Driving innovation for the future of inland transport’, could not be more relevant. Our sector faces urgent tasks: to decarbonize, to integrate with the wider energy and digital ecosystem, and to ensure safety in an increasingly complex mobility landscape,” says Christoph Nolte.
For DEKRA, being on site is strategically important. The demonstrations make it tangible how technological innovation and regulation must interact so that prototypes become lived practice. Scientifically sound, interoperable regulations create the basis for V2X solutions to work not only in pilot projects but also in everyday life.
With 100 years of experience in road safety research, testing and certification, DEKRA contributes a special perspective: as an independent partner between industry, policy‑makers and civil society. The message in Geneva: Only when there is trust in new technologies – supported by transparent testing processes and clear standards – can they unfold their full potential for road safety.
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