Your browser is out of date

Internet Explorer is no longer supported. Please use a different browser to enjoy the website in better quality.

History

Milestones in passenger transportation

  • The world’s first horse-drawn omnibuses (“carrosses à cinq sols”) enter service in Paris, although they are taken out of service again after just a few years.

    1662
  • Draisine, also known as ‘running machine’ (Fig. From approx. 1820). It was invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais in Mannheim in 1817. Being the first means of transport to make use of the two-wheeler principle, the Laufmaschine is regarded as the archetype of the bicycle.

    DEKRA road safety running machine1817
    1817
  • The first horse-drawn streetcar enters service in Europe between Montbrison and Montrond in France.

    1839
  • Foot pedal drive on frontwheel: Michaudine/velocipede

    1861
  • Opening ot the first underground in the world in London.

    1863
  • First use of solid rubber tires and spoon Bicycle, general brakes

    1865
  • Installation of the first traffic light system in the world in London. It was operated by gaslight and exploded after just a short time.

    1868
  • Michaux works with Perreaux to develop the first bicycle with an auxiliary engine.

    1869
  • Jaromír Freiherr von Mundy founds the "Wiener Freiwillige Rettungsgesellschaft." (Vienna Volunteer Rescue Society)

    1881
  • Commissioning of the first electric street lighting in Germany in Nuremberg.

    1882
  • The German inventor Carl Benz files the “Benz Patent-Motorwagen Number 1”, heralding the age of the modern internal combustion engine automobile.

    DEKRA raod safety Benz motor vehicle 1886
    1886
  • J.B. Dunlop pneumatic tyre (re-invention).

    1888
  • In Paris, Panhard and Lavassor start on the construction of a commercial vehicle

    1893
  • Advertisement for the first mass-produced motorcycle in the world.

    DEKRA road safety advertisement first motorcycle in the world 1894
    1894
  • First series motorcycle by Hildebrand & Wolfmüller

    First series motorcycle
    1894
  • First regular service in Germany with a fuel-driven bus between Siegen and Netphen.

    1895
  • Ogden Bolton (USA) files first patent for “new and useful improvement in electrical bicycles”

    1895
  • Gottlieb Daimler sells his first motorized truck constructed by Wilhelm Maybach

    first motorised truck
    1896
  • Opening of the Paris Metro on the occasion of the World Exhibition.

    DEKRA road safety paris métro 1900
    1900
  • Carl Benz presents his first truck

    benz truck
    1900
  • A total of 16 manufacturers in Europe build a total of 39 trucks this year

    1901
  • The German inventor Otto Schulze develops the eddy-current tachometer for road vehicles and has it patented in Berlin. Automobile manufacturers install speedometers as standard from 1910.

    1902
  • The Brit Frederick W. Lanchester invents the disc brake and applies for a patent.

    1902
  • Heinrich Büssing founds his company in Hanover and launches the mass production of trucks

    bussing nag logo
    1903
  • The oldest cycle path in Germany is the Offenbacher Alleenring with a structurally separated cycle path system, which was constructed in 1907.

    1907
  • In Offenbach, Germany, segregated cycle facilities are constructed along the “Offenbacher Alleenring”. It is the oldest existing cycle path in Germany.

    1907
  • Construction of the oldest bicycle path in Germany, the Offenbacher Alleenring, begins in 1907; the path features a segregated cycling facility.

    1907
  • In the then German Reich a single driving licence is introduced, which is valid for the entire country (German Motor Vehicles Act).

    DEKRA road safety driving licence 1909
    1909
  • Büssing constructs a truck with a trailer attached (articulated truck) for long materials

    1910
  • Invention of lane markings to separate lanes.

    1911
  • The first electric traffic signal with red and green lights is installed in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    1912
  • Iron tires are banned in the German Reich to limit damage to the road surface; all trucks are fitted with rubber tires

    truck
    1913
  • The First World War necessitates high-volume truck manufacture; manufacturers increasingly switch to mass production and replaceable parts

    1914
  • The traffic light installation, which was erected on 5th August 1914 in Cleveland, USA, is the first regular traffic light in the world.

    1914
  • 1914 The world’s first pedestrian traffic light appeared in Cleveland, Ohio, whereas the first traffic light in Europe appeared in Copenhagen in 1933, and in Germany, such traffic lights didn’t start appearing until 1937 (in Berlin).

    pedestrian traffic light
    1914
  • In 1915, the Autoped Company manufactures a pedal scooter powered by a combustion engine or electric motor; Krupp acquires the license and continues producing the model under the name “Krupp-Roller” in Germany from 1919 to 1922 (the first e-scooter).

    Krupp-Roller
    1915
  • The first automatic traffic signal is patented in the USA and the first traffic control tower is erected at an intersection in Detroit.

    DEKRA road safety sketch of first traffic control tower 1917
    1917
  • Installation of the world’s first threecoloured traffic light systems in Detroit and New York.

    1920
  • 1920s The first crossing guard units were formed to ensure safe street crossings in front of schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska, among other cities in the US. Germany did not have official school crossing guards until 1953.

    1920
  • The Duesenberg Model A is the first vehicle with hydraulic brakes.

    1921
  • Engineers working for the Radio Air Service at the McCook aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, unveil to the public the first driverless, radio-controlled car.

    1921
  • The first road markings in the small English town of Sutton Coldfield to remove an accident black spot.

    1921
  • Installation of Germany’s first threecoloured traffic light system in Hamburg.

    1922
  • Installation of Europe’s first threecoloured traffic light systems in Paris.

    1922
  • Introduction of the four-wheel compressed-air brake by Knorr

    truck
    1923
  • Chain drive triumphs over belt drive.

    1924
  • 1924 Patent for pedestrian safety. A collision with a pedestrian would cause a type of scoop to move upwards, preventing the pedestrian from slipping from the vehicle onto the road after the collision and being run over. Then the pedestrian is caught by a net.

    1924
  • Deutscher KraffahrzeugÜberwachungsverein e. V. is founded in Berlin (today: DEKRA)

    Deutscher KraffahrzeugÜberwachungsverein
    1925
  • Accident statistics are published for the first time in the UK.

    1926
  • The League of Nations in Geneva adopts the Convention on the Standardisation of Road Signs. It is ratified by 18 countries, but not by Germany.

    1931
  • The overland transport regulation enters force in Germany; this sets out the legal differences between passenger and goods transport on roads

    1931
  • Europe’s first pedestrian light is installed in Copenhagen, Denmark. Pedestrian lights do not appear in Germany until 1937 (Berlin).

    DEKRA road safety pedestrian light 1933 Copenhagen
    1933
  • 1933 The first pedestrian traffic light in Europe is installed in Copenhagen.

    1933
  • Invention of the road reflector (cat’s eye) by the Brit Percy Shaw.

    1934
  • Launch of the telescopic fork for BMW motorbikes – still the most common design today

    1935
  • The Berlinbased manufacturer Gaubschat unveils a passenger road train with corridor connection.

    1937
  • Installation of Europe’s first pedestrian lights in Berlin.

    1937
  • In May, the US magazine “Popular Science” publishes the first ever report on automated traffic of the future. It presents a vision of a world in which all cars follow electric cables that are buried beneath the pavements of superhighways and emit electromagnetic impulses that control the speed and direction of travel.

    1938
  • 1938 DKW introduces the 125 ccm cubic capacity class as standard, followed by the development of larger capacity classes after the Second World War

    Motorrad 125ccm
    1938
  • The French tyre manufacturer Michelin patents the first radial tyre which is presented under the brand name Michelin-X in 1949.

    DEKRA road safety Michelin advertising 1946
    1946
  • Colonel John Paul Stapp carries out the first self-experiments at the Muroc test site in the US-American Mojave desert as part of the ”deceleration project" conducted by him where he exposes himself to several decelerations on a rocket sled until he reaches his breaking point.

    1947
  • First road markings with broken white lines in London.

    1948
  • Series production of the “Unimog” (“Universal-Motor-Gerät” – universal motorized machine) is launched

    unimog
    1949
  • The pedestrian crossing or zebra crossing appears internationally for the first time in the Geneva Protocol on road traffic signs.

    DEKRA road safety zebra crossing 1949
    1949
  • 1949 The pedestrian crosswalk or “zebra crossing” appears internationally for the first time in the Geneva Protocol on Road Signs and Signals.

    1949
  • Germany implements its first accident prevention measures.

    Trucks on a street
    1950
  • 1951 Introduction of the vehicle inspection for motor vehicles in Germany. The purpose of the vehicle inspection is to ensure that the number of vehicles with technical safety defects on the road is as low as possible.

    Vehicle Inspection
    1951
  • Introduction of the main inspection (HU) for motor vehicles. The aim of the HU is to ensure that the proportion of vehicles with safety deficiencies on Germany’s roads is as low as possible.

    1951
  • In collaboration with Indiana State Police, accident researchers led by engineer Hugh de Haven start conducting detailed analyses of car accidents in the USA.

    1951
  • The Bundesanstalt für Straßenbau (BASt) is founded; it is renamed in 1965 as the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (German Federal Highway Research Institute).

    Logo of the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen
    1951
  • The Hungarian Béla Barényi applies for a patent for his concept of a "rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple zones".

    Béla Barényi and his concept of a "rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple".
    1951
  • Kässbohrer Fahrzeugwerke unveils the first modern articulated bus with a wide corridor between the front and rear carriage.

    1952
  • The first zebra crossings are marked out in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign zebra crossing 1952
    1952
  • The Federal Office for the Long-Distance Carriage of Goods in Germany is established

    1953
  • In Germany legislation introduces the pedestrian crossing nationally for the first time in Section 26 of the road traffic regulations.

    1953
  • Advertising poster for the Zündapp KS 601 ("Green Elephant").

    DEKRA road safety
    1953
  • 1953 In Germany, the use of crossing guards, officially referred to as “Verkehrshelfer” (traffic helpers) is introduced. The launch is the result of an initiative by several partners, including the “Deutsche Verkehrswacht” (German Road Safety Volunteer Organization).

    Traffic helper sign
    1953
  • German road accident statistics

    1954
  • The medical-psychological examination (MPU) of aptitude to drive is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety MPU 1954
    1954
  • The world’s first mobile traffic radar unit is deployed for speed monitoring.

    1956
  • Publication of the first version of the UNECE Recommendation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

    1956
  • A 50 km/h speed limit in built-up areas is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety 50 km/h speed limit 1957
    1957
  • The central index of traffic offenders in Flensburg begins its work.

    1958
  • 1959 Hood ornaments are generally forbidden in Germany. This ban does not last long. Today, hood ornaments have to yield. So the Mercedes star bends, and the Rolls-Royce “Spirit of Ecstasy” retracts abruptly at the slightest touch.

    Hood ornaments
    1959
  • Mercedes-Benz launches the first car with a safety passenger cell on the market with the Mercedes 220 S/SE (W111).

    1959
  • The Volvo engineer Nils Ivar Bolin files a patent for the three-point safety belt.

    DEKRA road safety three-point safety belt 1959
    1959
  • A coordinated rescue service is introduced in Germany.

    Two Oldtimer on grass.
    1960
  • Certified safety cabs are launched on the market in Sweden

    1960
  • The inspection sticker is introduced as proof that a main inspection has been carried out.

    DEKRA road safety inspection sticker 1961
    1961
  • In the GDR the traffic psychologist Karl Peglau invents the red-green pedestrian lights together with the traffic-light man.

    1961
  • Béla Barényi applies for a patent for the "safety steering shaft for vehicles" developed by him.

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes car 1963
    1963
  • Luigi Locati writes a summary of vehicle safety in which the distinction was made for the first time between active safety [sicurrezza attiva] and passive safety [sicurezza passiva].

    1964
  • Priority for pedestrians on zebra crossings is introduced into the German Road Traffic Act on 1st June 1964.

    One of the first zebra crossing in Germany.
    1964
  • The consumer advocate Ralph Nader publishes his book “Unsafe at Any Speed” and draws attention to glaring safety faults in US-American vehicles back then.

    1965
  • Luud Schimmelpennink launches the first attempt at a bicycle sharing system in Amsterdam.

    1965
  • The first container (sea freight) is put ashore at the overseas port in Bremen

    1966
  • US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Highway Safety Act.

    Lyndon B. Johnson .
    1966
  • On February 1, the German TV broadcaster ARD starts broadcasting the series “Der 7. Sinn” [The 7th Sense]. Once a week, in a prime-time slot just before the main news, aspects relating to road safety, rules of conduct and tips for car drivers and adult road users are presented are vividly presented. The last episode, for the time being, is broadcast in December 2005.

    1966
  • First mechanical ABS (Jensen FF with Dunlop Maxaret ABS).

    1966
  • The “Leber Plan”, named for Minister of Transport Georg Leber, introduces the mandatory wearing of safety belts in Germany, although this is not introduced in practice until, in 1974, it becomes mandatory for all new cars and light-duty trucks to be equipped with safety belts and, later, in 1984, fines are introduced for the non-wearing of mandatory safety belts on the front seats of cars.

    Georg Leber black and white.
    1967
  • The International Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals are signed in Vienna.

    1968
  • In London, the Victoria Line enters service as the world’s first fully automatic, computer-controlled underground railway line.

    1968
  • The US Department of Transportation launches a programme to develop experimental security vehicles and initiates the international Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). Today, the conference takes place every two years.

    DEKRA Verkehrssicherheit ESV 1968
    1968
  • Development of the Trott helmet by Karl-Heinz Trott (first bicycle helmet for mass sports)

    Trott-Helmet
    1968
  • First mass-produced motorcycle with disk brakes (Honda CB 750 Four).

    DEKRA road safety Honda CB 750 Four 1969
    1969
  • The German Road Safety Council (DVR) is founded.

    DVR-Logo.
    1969
  • First motorcycle with front hydraulic disc brakes (Honda CB750 Four)

    Honda CB750 Four
    1969
  • The “European Enhanced Vehicle-Safety Committee” (EEVC), which focuses on preregulatory research, is founded as a European counterpart to the US ESV program. The EEVC developed, for example, the testing and inspection procedure for occupant protection in front and side collisions and the component tests for pedestrian protection.

    1970
  • Start of the 1970s: Finland and Sweden introduce driving with lights on during the day.

    1970
  • The first international conferences for sharing research findings regarding the development, construction and trialling of experimental safety vehicles (ESVs) take place.

    1971
  • Daimler-Benz AG files a patent for the practicable driver airbag.

    1971
  • The first headlights with a twin filament halogen bulb (H4) are fitted on vehicles for dipped and full beam.

    DEKRA road safety twin filament halogen bulb (H4) 1971
    1971
  • Introduction of a 100 km/h speed limit for cars on rural roads in Germany. Trucks over a permissible gross weight of 3.5 t with trailer as well as trucks over 7.5 t without trailer may not drive faster than 60 km/h on rural roads.

    1972
  • Introduction of the 0.8 per mille drink-drive limit for the blood alcohol concentration value.

    DEKRA road safety alcohol test 1973
    1973
  • In his New Year’s address, Finland’s president Urho Kekkonen appeals for improved road safety.

    Uhro Kekkonen.
    1973
  • At Hannover Medical School, the BASt launches the “Accident Scene Studies” project (the predecessor of the “German In-Depth Accident Study” [GIDAS]).

    1973
  • The government’s first road safety program (VSP) is submitted in November to the German Bundestag.

    1973
  • Introduction of the points system (Section 4 of the German Road Traffic Act (StVG), which is still in use today, as a replacement for the guidelines for the treatment of repeat offenders.

    1974
  • From 1st January, three-point safety belts are mandatory for front seats in newly licensed cars in the Federal Republic of Germany. The seat belt obligation for back seats in all new cars comes into force on 1st May 1979. A warning fine is issued for not wearing the seat belt from 1st August 1984.

    DEKRA road safety three-point safety belt 1974
    1974
  • A general 90 km/h speed limit applies on rural roads in France.

    DEKRA road safety flag France 1974
    1974
  • In Japan, Konuske Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, unveils an e-bike.

    1975
  • The world´s first city toll charge in Singapore.

    1975
  • From 1st January, it is mandatory for motorcyclists in the Federal Republic of Germany to wear a helmet, from mid- 1978 for moped riders too. In the event of infringement, this breach can be punished with a fine from 1st August 1980. From 1st October 1985, scooter riders also have to wear a helmet.

    1976
  • Wearing a helmet becomes a legal requirement in Germany for motorcycles > 20 km/h, extended to mopeds and small mopeds in 1978

    1976
  • DEKRA publishes its first journal, “Technische Mängel an Kraftfahrzeugen” [Technical Defects on Motor Vehicles].

    The first journal of Technical Defects on Motor Vehicles.
    1977
  • 1978 Beginning of the “Child and Traffic” program by the German Road Safety Council.

    German Road Safety Council
    1978
  • Vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are equipped with ABS as standard from October. The first model with ABS is the S-Class (W 116).

    DEKRA raod safety two cars are testing ABS 1978
    1978
  • The “Children and Traffic” program initiated by the German Road Safety Council (DVR) is launched.

    Child with a safety belt.
    1978
  • First electronic ABS (Mercedes-Benz S Class and the BMW 7 series).

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes S Class with ABS 1979
    1979
  • A scientific working party of the Universities of Aachen, Berlin, Stuttgart and Darmstadt launches the UNI-CAR research project. The vehicle already had a ‘soft face’, which covered the entire front section, and kept the loads of an impacted pedestrian under tolerable biomechanical limits up to a speed of 45 km/h.

    1979
  • First hydraulic anti-dive systems for individual motorcycles launched by Kawasaki and Garelli; shortly followed by series production by Suzuki and Yamaha

    1979
  • 1980 Introduction of traffic-calming areas in the Road Traffic Act in Germany.

    1980
  • General Motors equips a number of its models destined for the US market with a black-and-white headup display, which allows drivers to see what speed they are driving at without having to take their eyes off the road.

    1980
  • Introduction of traffic-calmed zones into the German Road Traffic Act.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign traffic-calmed zone 1980
    1980
  • First German car fitted with an airbag (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    DEKRA road safety steering-wheel fitted with an airbag 1980
    1980
  • Hydraulic anti-drive system (Japan).

    1980
  • 1980s First attempts to design the front ends of vehicles in consideration of pedestrian safety.

    1980
  • Combination of driver-airbag and passenger-airbag belt tensioners (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    1981
  • From July, Mercedes-Benz offers a vehicle with airbag as standard for the first time in the S-Class (W 126).

    DEKRA road safety vehicle with airbag 1981
    1981
  • ABS is used in a truck for the first time

    truck
    1981
  • With his study of the “Gelhard-E-Bike”, Egon Gelhard lays the foundations for the pedelec principle.

    1982
  • Introduction of the 0.8 blood alcohol limit in France.

    DEKRA road safety flag France 1983
    1983
  • Motorcycle with its in-line 4-cylinder engine mounted lengthways, fuel injection and integrated leg guards (BMW K 100); also the basis for safety motorcycle studies (HUK Verband, DEKRA)

    DEKRA road safety sketch of BMW K 100 1983
    1983
  • Testing of 30 km/h speed limit zones in pilot projects in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign 30 km/h speed limit zone 1983
    1983
  • August 1984: Introduction of fines for not complying with the seat belt regulation in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety close the belt 1984
    1984
  • Minister of Transport Werner Dollinger presents the government’s second road safety program.

    Past Minister of Transport Werner Dollinger.
    1984
  • Bergen (Norway) is the first city to introduce a charge to drive into the city centre.

    DEKRA road safety flag Norway 1985
    1985
  • HUK Verband safety motorcycle.

    DEKRA road safety sketch motorcycle
    1985
  • The “driving licence on probation” is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety driving licence 1986
    1986
  • The possibilities of autonomous driving are researched for the first time as part of the European EUREKA research project PROMETHEUS (PROgraMme for European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety).

    1986
  • After several more or less unsuccessful attempts in various European cities, the car-sharing model has its première in Zurich. Since then this kind of car use has been introduced into many cities, not just in Europe.

    DEKRA road safety carsharing symbol 1987
    1987
  • First acceleration skid control system (ASR) (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    DEKRA road safety ASR 1987
    1987
  • The International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group (IRTAD) is founded.

    Logo of the IRTAD.
    1988
  • A 90 km/h speed limit is introduced on rural roads in Italy.

    DEKRA road safety flag Italy
    1988
  • BMW presents the first series motorcycle with ABS with the K100.

    DEKRA road safety first BMW motorcycle K100 with ABS 1988
    1988
  • Anti-lock braking system for motorcycles (BMW K 100)

    1988
  • The Dangerous Goods Advisor Ordinance is introduced in Germany

    1989
  • Since 1990 the roundabout has experienced a renaissance as a traffic regulating measure for greater safety on German rural roads. 50 percent of all roundabouts worldwide are located in France.

    DEKRA road safety roundabout 1990
    1990
  • The THESEUS research project is launched to improve tanker safety

    1990
  • In a BMW 7 series car gas discharge lamps (Bosch) are offered as xenon lights in a car for the first time, initially only as dipped headlights.

    DEKRA road safety dipped headlights of an BMW 1991
    1990
  • “Vision Zero” is applied for the first time in Sweden in the field of road traffic. Basic philosophy: People make mistakes, therefore the traffic system must be designed so that it allows for mistakes without endangering the lives of road users.

    1990
  • Introduction of a 50 km/h speed limit in built-up areas and 30 km/h speed zones in France.

    DEKRA road safety 30 km/h speed zone 1990
    1990
  • First use of the pedelec principle (Yamaha Power Assist System)

    1990
  • The installation of safety belts in trucks is stipulated in Germany; these must be worn during travel in accordance with Section 21a of the Road Traffic Act

    1992
  • Introduction of the vehicle inspection in France. New vehicles have to be presented for the first time after four years, then every two years afterwards.

    DEKRA road safety vehicle inspection 1992
    1992
  • Traction control for motorcycles (Honda Pan European)

    Traction control for motorcycles
    1992
  • The BASt (“Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen” – “Federal Highway Research Institute”) report entitled “Road Traffic Safety Analysis” is published

    1993
  • A navigation system is installed as standard for the first time (BMW 7 series).

    DEKRA road safety BMW 7 series 1994
    1994
  • Robert Bosch GmbH and Mercedes-Benz introduce another brake-based driving dynamics assistant system with the electronic stability programme, ESP. The first vehicle equipped with this is the S-Class Coupé CL (C 140) from Mercedes-Benz.

    1995
  • Launch of the world’s first public bicycle hire system in Copenhagen.

    DEKRA road safety cyclist 1995
    1995
  • The blood alcohol limit is decreased in France to 0.5 g/l.

    DEKRA road safety flag 1995
    1995
  • “Vision Zero” is applied for the first time to road traffic in Sweden (target: zero traffic fatalities and zero serious injuries).

    DEKRA road safety vision zero 1995
    1995
  • 1995 “Vision Zero” is applied to road traffic for the first time in Sweden. The declared aim: zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries.

    1995
  • The world’s first successful bicycle renting system is launched in Copenhagen, with a pool of 300 bikes

    1995
  • First motorcycle with a combined braking system in conjunction with ABV and traction control (Honda ST 1100)

    DEKRA road safety Honda ST 1100 1996
    1996
  • First motorcycle to be fitted with a combined braking system, ABS, and traction control (Honda ST 1100)

    1996
  • Breakthrough for the ESP with the “elk test” with the A Class.

    1997
  • Euro NCAP publishes first crash test results.

    Cover of the Euro Ncap Crash Tests.
    1997
  • 1997 Euro NCAP introduces pedestrian safety ratings that explicitly include children’s safety.1995 “Vision Zero” is applied to road traffic for the first time in Sweden. The declared aim: zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries.

    1997
  • The first sign with a “Black Spot”, which stands for particularly dangerous roads, is placed on Rural Road 2 near Blonie in Poland on 7th September. 20 more signs follow in the same year.

    1998
  • 1998 The “European Enhanced Vehicle-Safety Committee Working Group 17” publishes its final report. The focus on pedestrian safety increases considerably.

    1998
  • In Paris, the new driverless Métro line 14 opens.

    1998
  • Introduction of the 0.5 per mill limit (without driving ban) in Germany. As of 1st April 2001 there will be driving bans and people will lose their driving licence if they have a blood alcohol level of more than 0.5 per mill.

    1998
  • First German car with proximity control (SRT) (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    1998
  • The semi-trailer developed by Karl-Heinz Schimmelpfennig featuring all-round effective underride protection is launched on the market by Krone with the Safe Liner

    1999
  • On October 1, it becomes mandatory for all newly registered coaches to be fitted with safety belts. Where safety belts are prescribed, it is also mandatory to wear them. The wearing of safety belts in coaches and long-distance buses becomes mandatory at EU level in May 2006.

    1999
  • The EU Regulation on the right to drive enters into force.

    1999
  • BMW launches the C1, the first and so far only two-wheeler in the world that protects the rider in an accident by means of a surrounding structure (aluminum space-frame design) and safety belt. The C1 can, therefore, also be ridden without a helmet.

    DEKRA road safety BMW C1 2000
    2000
  • BMW C1, the first two-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed design to protect the driver

    2000
  • The first color head-up display is installed in the Chevrolet Corvette.

    2001
  • From 1st February mobile phones can only be used with a hands-free set in Germany.

    2001
  • Since 2001, initially in the Mercedes CL, xenon high beam in the so-called bi-xenon headlamps. The same bulb is used for the dipped beam and high beam light. A shutter covering the beam path for the dipped beam is folded away and therefore the beam path is ‘switched’ to a high beam.

    2001
  • Combined braking system in conjunction with ABV and adaptive brake force distribution (BMW)

    2001
  • First series-production model with lane guard system (Nissan Cima).

    2001
  • A road safety program is developed in Austria.

    Logo of the europäischen Verkehrssicherheitsprogramms.
    2001
  • The White Paper “European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide” is published.

    2001
  • DVR launches the “Hats geklickt?” [“all clicked in?”] belt campaign

    DVR logo
    2002
  • Mercedes introduces the preventative occupant safety system PRE-SAFE in the S-Class (W220).

    2002
  • Compulsory lights on during the day is introduced on motorways and in non-built up areas in Italy

    2002
  • The ROSEBUD road safety project funded by the EU Commission is launched. A range of methods for assessing the economic impact of road safety measures is compiled and refined.

    Rosebug logo.
    2002
  • Successful pilot test involving rumble strips starts on the A 24 in Brandenburg, Germany

    Truck
    2003
  • Use of radar speed checks in France.

    2003
  • Introduction of the city congestion charge in London.

    2003
  • BMW becomes the first European manufacturer to introduce the head-up display, installing it in the 5 and 6 Series.

    2003
  • On November 17, the European Parliament and Council of the European Union enact Directive 2003/102/ EC for the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. This stipulates that the front ends of cars must undergo a series of component crash tests to verify that certain biomechanical limits are not exceeded. The impactors used during testing represent the parts of a pedestrian’s body that are most at risk of injury (head, pelvis and leg). Since October 2005, newly certified vehicle types are required to undergo testing in this way.

    2003
  • Approval of the “Euskirchen” system. It offers impacting motorcyclists better protection. Building on this, DEKRA developed the “Euskirchen Plus” system on behalf of BASt. It offers even better impact protection, even for occupants of cars travelling at greater speeds.

    2003
  • The “Towards Zero Deaths” road safety program is launched in the US state of Minnesota.

    Torwards zero deaths Logo.
    2003
  • Duo-lever front wheel drive and electrically adjustable shock absorber (ESA) (BMW K 1200 S)

    2004
  • The EU Commission launches the European Road Safety Charter. The declared objective is to halve the number of road deaths by 2010 compared to 2001.

    DEKRA road safety European Road Safety Charter 2004
    2004
  • From 1st April infringements of the mobile phone ban behind the wheel are punishable by a fine of EUR 40 and a penalty point in Flensburg.

    DEKRA road safety mobile phone ban behind the wheel 2004
    2004
  • 2005 European Directive (2003/102/EC) on the design of the front end of vehicles for the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users becomes effective.

    2005
  • Entry into force of a European Directive on the construction of frontal structures of vehicles for the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users (2003/102/EC). The Directive establishes limit values for the EU type approval of new types of vehicles not exceeding 2.5 tonnes which should not be exceeded in a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

    2005
  • 2006 First production vehicle with active hood (Jaguar XK).

    2006
  • The Finnish road safety program “Road Safety 2006-2010” is launched.

    Road sign with elk.
    2006
  • Daimler presents the “Safety Truck” with distancecontrol system, lane assistant, Stability Control Assist and Active Brake Assist (ABA)

    2006
  • Motorcycle airbag (Honda Gold Wing)

    2006
  • The ETAC study on the fundamental causes of traffic accidents involving trucks is published

    2007
  • The DARPA Urban Challenge – an international competition for unmanned vehicles in an urban environment – takes place in the USA.

    2007
  • 2008 Since April 8, only child seats that have been successfully tested according to ECE 44/03 or higher may be used in Germany.

    2008
  • DEKRA publishes its first Road Safety Report, focusing on cars. Further reports are published in the following years focusing on trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians and cyclists, humans and technology, rural roads, urban mobility, the future based on experience and passenger transportation.

    2008
  • Germany´s first fully automatic, driverless underground railway travels through Nuremberg.

    2008
  • New trucks registered in the EU must have retro-reflective contour markings

    2009
  • Primeiro sistema “brake-by-wire” (Honda CBR 600/1000)

    2009
  • Policy guidelines are published for EU road safety (2011-2020)

    Logo On the move.
    2010
  • Electronic vehicle stability control systems (EVSC) – referred to as “ESP” or “ESC” – become compulsory for all new road vehicles (from cars to heavy buses as well as trucks and their trailers) from November 1, 2014, and from November 1, 2011, for vehicles with a new type approval certificate

    2011
  • Daytime running lights become mandatory in the EU for all new cars and trucks.

    DEKRA road safety daytime running lights 2011
    2011
  • In the “Road Safety Guidelines 2011–2020”, the European Commission formulates its goal to halve the number of traffic fatalities between 2010 and 2020.

    2011
  • Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020

    Logo of the United Nations.
    2011
  • All new vehicle models launched on the market in Europe must be fitted with ESP as standard since 1st November. Mandatory ESP then applies to all new cars from November 2014.

    DEKRA road safety ESP 2011
    2011
  • Citroën launches the first carsharing programme that exclusively uses electric vehicles in Germany with "Multicity" in Berlin.

    DEKRA road safety carsharing-electric vehicles 2012
    2012
  • All new trucks on the market (N2/3) in the EU must be equipped with special daytime running lights; existing trucks do not have to be retrofitted with these lights

    2012
  • 2012
  • Field tests involving long trucks are launched in Germany under the direction of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development; the tests address various safety issues

    2012
  • The pedestrian airbag from Volvo wins the "Future" special award at the AutoScout24 portal´s 11st Internet Auto Awards.

    DEKRA road safety pedestrian airbag from Volvo 2013
    2013
  • 2013 ECE/UN Regulation no. 129, which states that child seats must be based on the size of the child and must have an ISOFIX attachment, becomes effective. The manufacturers themselves can determine the size range for which the seat is suitable. This regulation also requires certified child seats to allow children up to 15 months old to be transported only facing rearwards (corresponding to class 0+ of ECE-R 44).

    2013
  • The Master’s course “Urban Mobility – Traffic Engineering” is launched for the first time at a German university in Nuremberg in the summer semester.

    2013
  • New trucks and buses in the EU must be equipped with “lane departure warning systems” (LDWS) and “advanced emergency braking systems” (AEBS). This ruling initially applies only to commercial vehicles with compressed-air brakes and a permissible overall weight of > 8 t with a compressed-airassist system for the rear axle(s); from November 1, 2016, for all new commercial vehicles and from November1, 2018, for all new commercial vehicles with a permissible overall weight of > 3.5 t

    2013
  • The “Vision Zero Action Plan” is launched in New York City by mayor Bill de Blasio.

    New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio.
    2014
  • From November 1, all new road vehicles – including everything from cars to heavy buses and trucks and their trailers – in the EU must be equipped with electronic vehicle stability control (EVSC), generally known as ESP or ESC. This requirement has already been in place for newly type-approved vehicles since November 1, 2011. This equipment requirement is based on EU regulation no. 661/2009.

    2014
  • Daimler presents the “Future Truck 2025”, a partially autonomous truck guided by the “Highway Pilot” system

    2014
  • November 2014: Mandatory ESP applies to all new cars.

    DEKRA road safety ESP button 2014
    2014
  • Electronic Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), KTM 1190 Adventure in partnership with Bosch

    2014
  • Daimler AG presents the “Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025” on the new stretch of the 14 motorway near Magdeburg in July. With the help of the intelligent “Highway Pilot” system, the truck can drive completely autonomously at motorway speeds up to 85 km/h.

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025
    2014
  • ESP is mandatory for all new cars in the EU since 1st November.

    2014
  • From July 1, technical testing organizations in Germany are required to use a main inspection adapter during general inspections on cars. This is used for inspecting electronic vehicle components and is designed for the increasingly complex technology installed in cars.

    2015
  • In September, a section of the A9 highway in Germany becomes a designated “test track” for automated and networked driving.

    2015
  • From November 1, in the EU, newly registered heavy-duty trucks (more than 3.5 t gross weight rating) and buses with more than eight seats (not including the driver’s seat) must be equipped with an advanced emergency braking system (AEBS) and a lane departure warning system (LDWS). This requirement has already been in place for newly type-approved vehicles since November 1, 2013 and is also based on EU regulation no. 661/2009.

    2015
  • End of the field test involving long trucks in Germany

    2016
  • 2017 In France, a law requiring children under the age of 12 to wear a helmet on their bicycles becomes effective.

    helmets
    2017
  • Start of the e-scooter boom in the EU and the USA

    E-Scooter
    2017
  • The International Transport Forum (ITF) annual summit is held in Leipzig. This annual summit conference of transport ministers is organized by the ITF of the OECD. The focus of this particular summit was “Transport Safety and Security”

    2018
  • E-scooters approved for use on German roads from June 2019. Regulations: Type approval, maximum speed 20 km/h, minimum age 14, no drivers’ license required

    2019
  • The world’s first horse-drawn omnibuses (“carrosses à cinq sols”) enter service in Paris, although they are taken out of service again after just a few years.

    1662
  • Draisine, also known as ‘running machine’ (Fig. From approx. 1820). It was invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais in Mannheim in 1817. Being the first means of transport to make use of the two-wheeler principle, the Laufmaschine is regarded as the archetype of the bicycle.

    DEKRA road safety running machine1817
    1817
  • The first horse-drawn streetcar enters service in Europe between Montbrison and Montrond in France.

    1839
  • Foot pedal drive on frontwheel: Michaudine/velocipede

    1861
  • Opening ot the first underground in the world in London.

    1863
  • First use of solid rubber tires and spoon Bicycle, general brakes

    1865
  • Installation of the first traffic light system in the world in London. It was operated by gaslight and exploded after just a short time.

    1868
  • Michaux works with Perreaux to develop the first bicycle with an auxiliary engine.

    1869
  • Jaromír Freiherr von Mundy founds the "Wiener Freiwillige Rettungsgesellschaft." (Vienna Volunteer Rescue Society)

    1881
  • Commissioning of the first electric street lighting in Germany in Nuremberg.

    1882
  • The German inventor Carl Benz files the “Benz Patent-Motorwagen Number 1”, heralding the age of the modern internal combustion engine automobile.

    DEKRA raod safety Benz motor vehicle 1886
    1886
  • J.B. Dunlop pneumatic tyre (re-invention).

    1888
  • In Paris, Panhard and Lavassor start on the construction of a commercial vehicle

    1893
  • Advertisement for the first mass-produced motorcycle in the world.

    DEKRA road safety advertisement first motorcycle in the world 1894
    1894
  • First series motorcycle by Hildebrand & Wolfmüller

    First series motorcycle
    1894
  • First regular service in Germany with a fuel-driven bus between Siegen and Netphen.

    1895
  • Ogden Bolton (USA) files first patent for “new and useful improvement in electrical bicycles”

    1895
  • Gottlieb Daimler sells his first motorized truck constructed by Wilhelm Maybach

    first motorised truck
    1896
  • Opening of the Paris Metro on the occasion of the World Exhibition.

    DEKRA road safety paris métro 1900
    1900
  • Carl Benz presents his first truck

    benz truck
    1900
  • A total of 16 manufacturers in Europe build a total of 39 trucks this year

    1901
  • The German inventor Otto Schulze develops the eddy-current tachometer for road vehicles and has it patented in Berlin. Automobile manufacturers install speedometers as standard from 1910.

    1902
  • The Brit Frederick W. Lanchester invents the disc brake and applies for a patent.

    1902
  • Heinrich Büssing founds his company in Hanover and launches the mass production of trucks

    bussing nag logo
    1903
  • The oldest cycle path in Germany is the Offenbacher Alleenring with a structurally separated cycle path system, which was constructed in 1907.

    1907
  • In Offenbach, Germany, segregated cycle facilities are constructed along the “Offenbacher Alleenring”. It is the oldest existing cycle path in Germany.

    1907
  • Construction of the oldest bicycle path in Germany, the Offenbacher Alleenring, begins in 1907; the path features a segregated cycling facility.

    1907
  • In the then German Reich a single driving licence is introduced, which is valid for the entire country (German Motor Vehicles Act).

    DEKRA road safety driving licence 1909
    1909
  • Büssing constructs a truck with a trailer attached (articulated truck) for long materials

    1910
  • Invention of lane markings to separate lanes.

    1911
  • The first electric traffic signal with red and green lights is installed in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    1912
  • Iron tires are banned in the German Reich to limit damage to the road surface; all trucks are fitted with rubber tires

    truck
    1913
  • The First World War necessitates high-volume truck manufacture; manufacturers increasingly switch to mass production and replaceable parts

    1914
  • The traffic light installation, which was erected on 5th August 1914 in Cleveland, USA, is the first regular traffic light in the world.

    1914
  • 1914 The world’s first pedestrian traffic light appeared in Cleveland, Ohio, whereas the first traffic light in Europe appeared in Copenhagen in 1933, and in Germany, such traffic lights didn’t start appearing until 1937 (in Berlin).

    pedestrian traffic light
    1914
  • In 1915, the Autoped Company manufactures a pedal scooter powered by a combustion engine or electric motor; Krupp acquires the license and continues producing the model under the name “Krupp-Roller” in Germany from 1919 to 1922 (the first e-scooter).

    Krupp-Roller
    1915
  • The first automatic traffic signal is patented in the USA and the first traffic control tower is erected at an intersection in Detroit.

    DEKRA road safety sketch of first traffic control tower 1917
    1917
  • Installation of the world’s first threecoloured traffic light systems in Detroit and New York.

    1920
  • 1920s The first crossing guard units were formed to ensure safe street crossings in front of schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska, among other cities in the US. Germany did not have official school crossing guards until 1953.

    1920
  • The Duesenberg Model A is the first vehicle with hydraulic brakes.

    1921
  • Engineers working for the Radio Air Service at the McCook aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, unveil to the public the first driverless, radio-controlled car.

    1921
  • The first road markings in the small English town of Sutton Coldfield to remove an accident black spot.

    1921
  • Installation of Germany’s first threecoloured traffic light system in Hamburg.

    1922
  • Installation of Europe’s first threecoloured traffic light systems in Paris.

    1922
  • Introduction of the four-wheel compressed-air brake by Knorr

    truck
    1923
  • Chain drive triumphs over belt drive.

    1924
  • 1924 Patent for pedestrian safety. A collision with a pedestrian would cause a type of scoop to move upwards, preventing the pedestrian from slipping from the vehicle onto the road after the collision and being run over. Then the pedestrian is caught by a net.

    1924
  • Deutscher KraffahrzeugÜberwachungsverein e. V. is founded in Berlin (today: DEKRA)

    Deutscher KraffahrzeugÜberwachungsverein
    1925
  • Accident statistics are published for the first time in the UK.

    1926
  • The League of Nations in Geneva adopts the Convention on the Standardisation of Road Signs. It is ratified by 18 countries, but not by Germany.

    1931
  • The overland transport regulation enters force in Germany; this sets out the legal differences between passenger and goods transport on roads

    1931
  • Europe’s first pedestrian light is installed in Copenhagen, Denmark. Pedestrian lights do not appear in Germany until 1937 (Berlin).

    DEKRA road safety pedestrian light 1933 Copenhagen
    1933
  • 1933 The first pedestrian traffic light in Europe is installed in Copenhagen.

    1933
  • Invention of the road reflector (cat’s eye) by the Brit Percy Shaw.

    1934
  • Launch of the telescopic fork for BMW motorbikes – still the most common design today

    1935
  • The Berlinbased manufacturer Gaubschat unveils a passenger road train with corridor connection.

    1937
  • Installation of Europe’s first pedestrian lights in Berlin.

    1937
  • In May, the US magazine “Popular Science” publishes the first ever report on automated traffic of the future. It presents a vision of a world in which all cars follow electric cables that are buried beneath the pavements of superhighways and emit electromagnetic impulses that control the speed and direction of travel.

    1938
  • 1938 DKW introduces the 125 ccm cubic capacity class as standard, followed by the development of larger capacity classes after the Second World War

    Motorrad 125ccm
    1938
  • The French tyre manufacturer Michelin patents the first radial tyre which is presented under the brand name Michelin-X in 1949.

    DEKRA road safety Michelin advertising 1946
    1946
  • Colonel John Paul Stapp carries out the first self-experiments at the Muroc test site in the US-American Mojave desert as part of the ”deceleration project" conducted by him where he exposes himself to several decelerations on a rocket sled until he reaches his breaking point.

    1947
  • First road markings with broken white lines in London.

    1948
  • Series production of the “Unimog” (“Universal-Motor-Gerät” – universal motorized machine) is launched

    unimog
    1949
  • The pedestrian crossing or zebra crossing appears internationally for the first time in the Geneva Protocol on road traffic signs.

    DEKRA road safety zebra crossing 1949
    1949
  • 1949 The pedestrian crosswalk or “zebra crossing” appears internationally for the first time in the Geneva Protocol on Road Signs and Signals.

    1949
  • Germany implements its first accident prevention measures.

    Trucks on a street
    1950
  • 1951 Introduction of the vehicle inspection for motor vehicles in Germany. The purpose of the vehicle inspection is to ensure that the number of vehicles with technical safety defects on the road is as low as possible.

    Vehicle Inspection
    1951
  • Introduction of the main inspection (HU) for motor vehicles. The aim of the HU is to ensure that the proportion of vehicles with safety deficiencies on Germany’s roads is as low as possible.

    1951
  • In collaboration with Indiana State Police, accident researchers led by engineer Hugh de Haven start conducting detailed analyses of car accidents in the USA.

    1951
  • The Bundesanstalt für Straßenbau (BASt) is founded; it is renamed in 1965 as the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (German Federal Highway Research Institute).

    Logo of the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen
    1951
  • The Hungarian Béla Barényi applies for a patent for his concept of a "rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple zones".

    Béla Barényi and his concept of a "rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple".
    1951
  • Kässbohrer Fahrzeugwerke unveils the first modern articulated bus with a wide corridor between the front and rear carriage.

    1952
  • The first zebra crossings are marked out in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign zebra crossing 1952
    1952
  • The Federal Office for the Long-Distance Carriage of Goods in Germany is established

    1953
  • In Germany legislation introduces the pedestrian crossing nationally for the first time in Section 26 of the road traffic regulations.

    1953
  • Advertising poster for the Zündapp KS 601 ("Green Elephant").

    DEKRA road safety
    1953
  • 1953 In Germany, the use of crossing guards, officially referred to as “Verkehrshelfer” (traffic helpers) is introduced. The launch is the result of an initiative by several partners, including the “Deutsche Verkehrswacht” (German Road Safety Volunteer Organization).

    Traffic helper sign
    1953
  • German road accident statistics

    1954
  • The medical-psychological examination (MPU) of aptitude to drive is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety MPU 1954
    1954
  • The world’s first mobile traffic radar unit is deployed for speed monitoring.

    1956
  • Publication of the first version of the UNECE Recommendation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

    1956
  • A 50 km/h speed limit in built-up areas is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety 50 km/h speed limit 1957
    1957
  • The central index of traffic offenders in Flensburg begins its work.

    1958
  • 1959 Hood ornaments are generally forbidden in Germany. This ban does not last long. Today, hood ornaments have to yield. So the Mercedes star bends, and the Rolls-Royce “Spirit of Ecstasy” retracts abruptly at the slightest touch.

    Hood ornaments
    1959
  • Mercedes-Benz launches the first car with a safety passenger cell on the market with the Mercedes 220 S/SE (W111).

    1959
  • The Volvo engineer Nils Ivar Bolin files a patent for the three-point safety belt.

    DEKRA road safety three-point safety belt 1959
    1959
  • A coordinated rescue service is introduced in Germany.

    Two Oldtimer on grass.
    1960
  • Certified safety cabs are launched on the market in Sweden

    1960
  • The inspection sticker is introduced as proof that a main inspection has been carried out.

    DEKRA road safety inspection sticker 1961
    1961
  • In the GDR the traffic psychologist Karl Peglau invents the red-green pedestrian lights together with the traffic-light man.

    1961
  • Béla Barényi applies for a patent for the "safety steering shaft for vehicles" developed by him.

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes car 1963
    1963
  • Luigi Locati writes a summary of vehicle safety in which the distinction was made for the first time between active safety [sicurrezza attiva] and passive safety [sicurezza passiva].

    1964
  • Priority for pedestrians on zebra crossings is introduced into the German Road Traffic Act on 1st June 1964.

    One of the first zebra crossing in Germany.
    1964
  • The consumer advocate Ralph Nader publishes his book “Unsafe at Any Speed” and draws attention to glaring safety faults in US-American vehicles back then.

    1965
  • Luud Schimmelpennink launches the first attempt at a bicycle sharing system in Amsterdam.

    1965
  • The first container (sea freight) is put ashore at the overseas port in Bremen

    1966
  • US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Highway Safety Act.

    Lyndon B. Johnson .
    1966
  • On February 1, the German TV broadcaster ARD starts broadcasting the series “Der 7. Sinn” [The 7th Sense]. Once a week, in a prime-time slot just before the main news, aspects relating to road safety, rules of conduct and tips for car drivers and adult road users are presented are vividly presented. The last episode, for the time being, is broadcast in December 2005.

    1966
  • First mechanical ABS (Jensen FF with Dunlop Maxaret ABS).

    1966
  • The “Leber Plan”, named for Minister of Transport Georg Leber, introduces the mandatory wearing of safety belts in Germany, although this is not introduced in practice until, in 1974, it becomes mandatory for all new cars and light-duty trucks to be equipped with safety belts and, later, in 1984, fines are introduced for the non-wearing of mandatory safety belts on the front seats of cars.

    Georg Leber black and white.
    1967
  • The International Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals are signed in Vienna.

    1968
  • In London, the Victoria Line enters service as the world’s first fully automatic, computer-controlled underground railway line.

    1968
  • The US Department of Transportation launches a programme to develop experimental security vehicles and initiates the international Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). Today, the conference takes place every two years.

    DEKRA Verkehrssicherheit ESV 1968
    1968
  • Development of the Trott helmet by Karl-Heinz Trott (first bicycle helmet for mass sports)

    Trott-Helmet
    1968
  • First mass-produced motorcycle with disk brakes (Honda CB 750 Four).

    DEKRA road safety Honda CB 750 Four 1969
    1969
  • The German Road Safety Council (DVR) is founded.

    DVR-Logo.
    1969
  • First motorcycle with front hydraulic disc brakes (Honda CB750 Four)

    Honda CB750 Four
    1969
  • The “European Enhanced Vehicle-Safety Committee” (EEVC), which focuses on preregulatory research, is founded as a European counterpart to the US ESV program. The EEVC developed, for example, the testing and inspection procedure for occupant protection in front and side collisions and the component tests for pedestrian protection.

    1970
  • Start of the 1970s: Finland and Sweden introduce driving with lights on during the day.

    1970
  • The first international conferences for sharing research findings regarding the development, construction and trialling of experimental safety vehicles (ESVs) take place.

    1971
  • Daimler-Benz AG files a patent for the practicable driver airbag.

    1971
  • The first headlights with a twin filament halogen bulb (H4) are fitted on vehicles for dipped and full beam.

    DEKRA road safety twin filament halogen bulb (H4) 1971
    1971
  • Introduction of a 100 km/h speed limit for cars on rural roads in Germany. Trucks over a permissible gross weight of 3.5 t with trailer as well as trucks over 7.5 t without trailer may not drive faster than 60 km/h on rural roads.

    1972
  • Introduction of the 0.8 per mille drink-drive limit for the blood alcohol concentration value.

    DEKRA road safety alcohol test 1973
    1973
  • In his New Year’s address, Finland’s president Urho Kekkonen appeals for improved road safety.

    Uhro Kekkonen.
    1973
  • At Hannover Medical School, the BASt launches the “Accident Scene Studies” project (the predecessor of the “German In-Depth Accident Study” [GIDAS]).

    1973
  • The government’s first road safety program (VSP) is submitted in November to the German Bundestag.

    1973
  • Introduction of the points system (Section 4 of the German Road Traffic Act (StVG), which is still in use today, as a replacement for the guidelines for the treatment of repeat offenders.

    1974
  • From 1st January, three-point safety belts are mandatory for front seats in newly licensed cars in the Federal Republic of Germany. The seat belt obligation for back seats in all new cars comes into force on 1st May 1979. A warning fine is issued for not wearing the seat belt from 1st August 1984.

    DEKRA road safety three-point safety belt 1974
    1974
  • A general 90 km/h speed limit applies on rural roads in France.

    DEKRA road safety flag France 1974
    1974
  • In Japan, Konuske Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, unveils an e-bike.

    1975
  • The world´s first city toll charge in Singapore.

    1975
  • From 1st January, it is mandatory for motorcyclists in the Federal Republic of Germany to wear a helmet, from mid- 1978 for moped riders too. In the event of infringement, this breach can be punished with a fine from 1st August 1980. From 1st October 1985, scooter riders also have to wear a helmet.

    1976
  • Wearing a helmet becomes a legal requirement in Germany for motorcycles > 20 km/h, extended to mopeds and small mopeds in 1978

    1976
  • DEKRA publishes its first journal, “Technische Mängel an Kraftfahrzeugen” [Technical Defects on Motor Vehicles].

    The first journal of Technical Defects on Motor Vehicles.
    1977
  • 1978 Beginning of the “Child and Traffic” program by the German Road Safety Council.

    German Road Safety Council
    1978
  • Vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are equipped with ABS as standard from October. The first model with ABS is the S-Class (W 116).

    DEKRA raod safety two cars are testing ABS 1978
    1978
  • The “Children and Traffic” program initiated by the German Road Safety Council (DVR) is launched.

    Child with a safety belt.
    1978
  • First electronic ABS (Mercedes-Benz S Class and the BMW 7 series).

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes S Class with ABS 1979
    1979
  • A scientific working party of the Universities of Aachen, Berlin, Stuttgart and Darmstadt launches the UNI-CAR research project. The vehicle already had a ‘soft face’, which covered the entire front section, and kept the loads of an impacted pedestrian under tolerable biomechanical limits up to a speed of 45 km/h.

    1979
  • First hydraulic anti-dive systems for individual motorcycles launched by Kawasaki and Garelli; shortly followed by series production by Suzuki and Yamaha

    1979
  • 1980 Introduction of traffic-calming areas in the Road Traffic Act in Germany.

    1980
  • General Motors equips a number of its models destined for the US market with a black-and-white headup display, which allows drivers to see what speed they are driving at without having to take their eyes off the road.

    1980
  • Introduction of traffic-calmed zones into the German Road Traffic Act.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign traffic-calmed zone 1980
    1980
  • First German car fitted with an airbag (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    DEKRA road safety steering-wheel fitted with an airbag 1980
    1980
  • Hydraulic anti-drive system (Japan).

    1980
  • 1980s First attempts to design the front ends of vehicles in consideration of pedestrian safety.

    1980
  • Combination of driver-airbag and passenger-airbag belt tensioners (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    1981
  • From July, Mercedes-Benz offers a vehicle with airbag as standard for the first time in the S-Class (W 126).

    DEKRA road safety vehicle with airbag 1981
    1981
  • ABS is used in a truck for the first time

    truck
    1981
  • With his study of the “Gelhard-E-Bike”, Egon Gelhard lays the foundations for the pedelec principle.

    1982
  • Introduction of the 0.8 blood alcohol limit in France.

    DEKRA road safety flag France 1983
    1983
  • Motorcycle with its in-line 4-cylinder engine mounted lengthways, fuel injection and integrated leg guards (BMW K 100); also the basis for safety motorcycle studies (HUK Verband, DEKRA)

    DEKRA road safety sketch of BMW K 100 1983
    1983
  • Testing of 30 km/h speed limit zones in pilot projects in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety traffic sign 30 km/h speed limit zone 1983
    1983
  • August 1984: Introduction of fines for not complying with the seat belt regulation in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety close the belt 1984
    1984
  • Minister of Transport Werner Dollinger presents the government’s second road safety program.

    Past Minister of Transport Werner Dollinger.
    1984
  • Bergen (Norway) is the first city to introduce a charge to drive into the city centre.

    DEKRA road safety flag Norway 1985
    1985
  • HUK Verband safety motorcycle.

    DEKRA road safety sketch motorcycle
    1985
  • The “driving licence on probation” is introduced in Germany.

    DEKRA road safety driving licence 1986
    1986
  • The possibilities of autonomous driving are researched for the first time as part of the European EUREKA research project PROMETHEUS (PROgraMme for European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety).

    1986
  • After several more or less unsuccessful attempts in various European cities, the car-sharing model has its première in Zurich. Since then this kind of car use has been introduced into many cities, not just in Europe.

    DEKRA road safety carsharing symbol 1987
    1987
  • First acceleration skid control system (ASR) (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    DEKRA road safety ASR 1987
    1987
  • The International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group (IRTAD) is founded.

    Logo of the IRTAD.
    1988
  • A 90 km/h speed limit is introduced on rural roads in Italy.

    DEKRA road safety flag Italy
    1988
  • BMW presents the first series motorcycle with ABS with the K100.

    DEKRA road safety first BMW motorcycle K100 with ABS 1988
    1988
  • Anti-lock braking system for motorcycles (BMW K 100)

    1988
  • The Dangerous Goods Advisor Ordinance is introduced in Germany

    1989
  • Since 1990 the roundabout has experienced a renaissance as a traffic regulating measure for greater safety on German rural roads. 50 percent of all roundabouts worldwide are located in France.

    DEKRA road safety roundabout 1990
    1990
  • The THESEUS research project is launched to improve tanker safety

    1990
  • In a BMW 7 series car gas discharge lamps (Bosch) are offered as xenon lights in a car for the first time, initially only as dipped headlights.

    DEKRA road safety dipped headlights of an BMW 1991
    1990
  • “Vision Zero” is applied for the first time in Sweden in the field of road traffic. Basic philosophy: People make mistakes, therefore the traffic system must be designed so that it allows for mistakes without endangering the lives of road users.

    1990
  • Introduction of a 50 km/h speed limit in built-up areas and 30 km/h speed zones in France.

    DEKRA road safety 30 km/h speed zone 1990
    1990
  • First use of the pedelec principle (Yamaha Power Assist System)

    1990
  • The installation of safety belts in trucks is stipulated in Germany; these must be worn during travel in accordance with Section 21a of the Road Traffic Act

    1992
  • Introduction of the vehicle inspection in France. New vehicles have to be presented for the first time after four years, then every two years afterwards.

    DEKRA road safety vehicle inspection 1992
    1992
  • Traction control for motorcycles (Honda Pan European)

    Traction control for motorcycles
    1992
  • The BASt (“Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen” – “Federal Highway Research Institute”) report entitled “Road Traffic Safety Analysis” is published

    1993
  • A navigation system is installed as standard for the first time (BMW 7 series).

    DEKRA road safety BMW 7 series 1994
    1994
  • Robert Bosch GmbH and Mercedes-Benz introduce another brake-based driving dynamics assistant system with the electronic stability programme, ESP. The first vehicle equipped with this is the S-Class Coupé CL (C 140) from Mercedes-Benz.

    1995
  • Launch of the world’s first public bicycle hire system in Copenhagen.

    DEKRA road safety cyclist 1995
    1995
  • The blood alcohol limit is decreased in France to 0.5 g/l.

    DEKRA road safety flag 1995
    1995
  • “Vision Zero” is applied for the first time to road traffic in Sweden (target: zero traffic fatalities and zero serious injuries).

    DEKRA road safety vision zero 1995
    1995
  • 1995 “Vision Zero” is applied to road traffic for the first time in Sweden. The declared aim: zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries.

    1995
  • The world’s first successful bicycle renting system is launched in Copenhagen, with a pool of 300 bikes

    1995
  • First motorcycle with a combined braking system in conjunction with ABV and traction control (Honda ST 1100)

    DEKRA road safety Honda ST 1100 1996
    1996
  • First motorcycle to be fitted with a combined braking system, ABS, and traction control (Honda ST 1100)

    1996
  • Breakthrough for the ESP with the “elk test” with the A Class.

    1997
  • Euro NCAP publishes first crash test results.

    Cover of the Euro Ncap Crash Tests.
    1997
  • 1997 Euro NCAP introduces pedestrian safety ratings that explicitly include children’s safety.1995 “Vision Zero” is applied to road traffic for the first time in Sweden. The declared aim: zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries.

    1997
  • The first sign with a “Black Spot”, which stands for particularly dangerous roads, is placed on Rural Road 2 near Blonie in Poland on 7th September. 20 more signs follow in the same year.

    1998
  • 1998 The “European Enhanced Vehicle-Safety Committee Working Group 17” publishes its final report. The focus on pedestrian safety increases considerably.

    1998
  • In Paris, the new driverless Métro line 14 opens.

    1998
  • Introduction of the 0.5 per mill limit (without driving ban) in Germany. As of 1st April 2001 there will be driving bans and people will lose their driving licence if they have a blood alcohol level of more than 0.5 per mill.

    1998
  • First German car with proximity control (SRT) (Mercedes-Benz S Class).

    1998
  • The semi-trailer developed by Karl-Heinz Schimmelpfennig featuring all-round effective underride protection is launched on the market by Krone with the Safe Liner

    1999
  • On October 1, it becomes mandatory for all newly registered coaches to be fitted with safety belts. Where safety belts are prescribed, it is also mandatory to wear them. The wearing of safety belts in coaches and long-distance buses becomes mandatory at EU level in May 2006.

    1999
  • The EU Regulation on the right to drive enters into force.

    1999
  • BMW launches the C1, the first and so far only two-wheeler in the world that protects the rider in an accident by means of a surrounding structure (aluminum space-frame design) and safety belt. The C1 can, therefore, also be ridden without a helmet.

    DEKRA road safety BMW C1 2000
    2000
  • BMW C1, the first two-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed design to protect the driver

    2000
  • The first color head-up display is installed in the Chevrolet Corvette.

    2001
  • From 1st February mobile phones can only be used with a hands-free set in Germany.

    2001
  • Since 2001, initially in the Mercedes CL, xenon high beam in the so-called bi-xenon headlamps. The same bulb is used for the dipped beam and high beam light. A shutter covering the beam path for the dipped beam is folded away and therefore the beam path is ‘switched’ to a high beam.

    2001
  • Combined braking system in conjunction with ABV and adaptive brake force distribution (BMW)

    2001
  • First series-production model with lane guard system (Nissan Cima).

    2001
  • A road safety program is developed in Austria.

    Logo of the europäischen Verkehrssicherheitsprogramms.
    2001
  • The White Paper “European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide” is published.

    2001
  • DVR launches the “Hats geklickt?” [“all clicked in?”] belt campaign

    DVR logo
    2002
  • Mercedes introduces the preventative occupant safety system PRE-SAFE in the S-Class (W220).

    2002
  • Compulsory lights on during the day is introduced on motorways and in non-built up areas in Italy

    2002
  • The ROSEBUD road safety project funded by the EU Commission is launched. A range of methods for assessing the economic impact of road safety measures is compiled and refined.

    Rosebug logo.
    2002
  • Successful pilot test involving rumble strips starts on the A 24 in Brandenburg, Germany

    Truck
    2003
  • Use of radar speed checks in France.

    2003
  • Introduction of the city congestion charge in London.

    2003
  • BMW becomes the first European manufacturer to introduce the head-up display, installing it in the 5 and 6 Series.

    2003
  • On November 17, the European Parliament and Council of the European Union enact Directive 2003/102/ EC for the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. This stipulates that the front ends of cars must undergo a series of component crash tests to verify that certain biomechanical limits are not exceeded. The impactors used during testing represent the parts of a pedestrian’s body that are most at risk of injury (head, pelvis and leg). Since October 2005, newly certified vehicle types are required to undergo testing in this way.

    2003
  • Approval of the “Euskirchen” system. It offers impacting motorcyclists better protection. Building on this, DEKRA developed the “Euskirchen Plus” system on behalf of BASt. It offers even better impact protection, even for occupants of cars travelling at greater speeds.

    2003
  • The “Towards Zero Deaths” road safety program is launched in the US state of Minnesota.

    Torwards zero deaths Logo.
    2003
  • Duo-lever front wheel drive and electrically adjustable shock absorber (ESA) (BMW K 1200 S)

    2004
  • The EU Commission launches the European Road Safety Charter. The declared objective is to halve the number of road deaths by 2010 compared to 2001.

    DEKRA road safety European Road Safety Charter 2004
    2004
  • From 1st April infringements of the mobile phone ban behind the wheel are punishable by a fine of EUR 40 and a penalty point in Flensburg.

    DEKRA road safety mobile phone ban behind the wheel 2004
    2004
  • 2005 European Directive (2003/102/EC) on the design of the front end of vehicles for the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users becomes effective.

    2005
  • Entry into force of a European Directive on the construction of frontal structures of vehicles for the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users (2003/102/EC). The Directive establishes limit values for the EU type approval of new types of vehicles not exceeding 2.5 tonnes which should not be exceeded in a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

    2005
  • 2006 First production vehicle with active hood (Jaguar XK).

    2006
  • The Finnish road safety program “Road Safety 2006-2010” is launched.

    Road sign with elk.
    2006
  • Daimler presents the “Safety Truck” with distancecontrol system, lane assistant, Stability Control Assist and Active Brake Assist (ABA)

    2006
  • Motorcycle airbag (Honda Gold Wing)

    2006
  • The ETAC study on the fundamental causes of traffic accidents involving trucks is published

    2007
  • The DARPA Urban Challenge – an international competition for unmanned vehicles in an urban environment – takes place in the USA.

    2007
  • 2008 Since April 8, only child seats that have been successfully tested according to ECE 44/03 or higher may be used in Germany.

    2008
  • DEKRA publishes its first Road Safety Report, focusing on cars. Further reports are published in the following years focusing on trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians and cyclists, humans and technology, rural roads, urban mobility, the future based on experience and passenger transportation.

    2008
  • Germany´s first fully automatic, driverless underground railway travels through Nuremberg.

    2008
  • New trucks registered in the EU must have retro-reflective contour markings

    2009
  • Primeiro sistema “brake-by-wire” (Honda CBR 600/1000)

    2009
  • Policy guidelines are published for EU road safety (2011-2020)

    Logo On the move.
    2010
  • Electronic vehicle stability control systems (EVSC) – referred to as “ESP” or “ESC” – become compulsory for all new road vehicles (from cars to heavy buses as well as trucks and their trailers) from November 1, 2014, and from November 1, 2011, for vehicles with a new type approval certificate

    2011
  • Daytime running lights become mandatory in the EU for all new cars and trucks.

    DEKRA road safety daytime running lights 2011
    2011
  • In the “Road Safety Guidelines 2011–2020”, the European Commission formulates its goal to halve the number of traffic fatalities between 2010 and 2020.

    2011
  • Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020

    Logo of the United Nations.
    2011
  • All new vehicle models launched on the market in Europe must be fitted with ESP as standard since 1st November. Mandatory ESP then applies to all new cars from November 2014.

    DEKRA road safety ESP 2011
    2011
  • Citroën launches the first carsharing programme that exclusively uses electric vehicles in Germany with "Multicity" in Berlin.

    DEKRA road safety carsharing-electric vehicles 2012
    2012
  • All new trucks on the market (N2/3) in the EU must be equipped with special daytime running lights; existing trucks do not have to be retrofitted with these lights

    2012
  • 2012
  • Field tests involving long trucks are launched in Germany under the direction of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development; the tests address various safety issues

    2012
  • The pedestrian airbag from Volvo wins the "Future" special award at the AutoScout24 portal´s 11st Internet Auto Awards.

    DEKRA road safety pedestrian airbag from Volvo 2013
    2013
  • 2013 ECE/UN Regulation no. 129, which states that child seats must be based on the size of the child and must have an ISOFIX attachment, becomes effective. The manufacturers themselves can determine the size range for which the seat is suitable. This regulation also requires certified child seats to allow children up to 15 months old to be transported only facing rearwards (corresponding to class 0+ of ECE-R 44).

    2013
  • The Master’s course “Urban Mobility – Traffic Engineering” is launched for the first time at a German university in Nuremberg in the summer semester.

    2013
  • New trucks and buses in the EU must be equipped with “lane departure warning systems” (LDWS) and “advanced emergency braking systems” (AEBS). This ruling initially applies only to commercial vehicles with compressed-air brakes and a permissible overall weight of > 8 t with a compressed-airassist system for the rear axle(s); from November 1, 2016, for all new commercial vehicles and from November1, 2018, for all new commercial vehicles with a permissible overall weight of > 3.5 t

    2013
  • The “Vision Zero Action Plan” is launched in New York City by mayor Bill de Blasio.

    New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio.
    2014
  • From November 1, all new road vehicles – including everything from cars to heavy buses and trucks and their trailers – in the EU must be equipped with electronic vehicle stability control (EVSC), generally known as ESP or ESC. This requirement has already been in place for newly type-approved vehicles since November 1, 2011. This equipment requirement is based on EU regulation no. 661/2009.

    2014
  • Daimler presents the “Future Truck 2025”, a partially autonomous truck guided by the “Highway Pilot” system

    2014
  • November 2014: Mandatory ESP applies to all new cars.

    DEKRA road safety ESP button 2014
    2014
  • Electronic Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), KTM 1190 Adventure in partnership with Bosch

    2014
  • Daimler AG presents the “Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025” on the new stretch of the 14 motorway near Magdeburg in July. With the help of the intelligent “Highway Pilot” system, the truck can drive completely autonomously at motorway speeds up to 85 km/h.

    DEKRA road safety Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025
    2014
  • ESP is mandatory for all new cars in the EU since 1st November.

    2014
  • From July 1, technical testing organizations in Germany are required to use a main inspection adapter during general inspections on cars. This is used for inspecting electronic vehicle components and is designed for the increasingly complex technology installed in cars.

    2015
  • In September, a section of the A9 highway in Germany becomes a designated “test track” for automated and networked driving.

    2015
  • From November 1, in the EU, newly registered heavy-duty trucks (more than 3.5 t gross weight rating) and buses with more than eight seats (not including the driver’s seat) must be equipped with an advanced emergency braking system (AEBS) and a lane departure warning system (LDWS). This requirement has already been in place for newly type-approved vehicles since November 1, 2013 and is also based on EU regulation no. 661/2009.

    2015
  • End of the field test involving long trucks in Germany

    2016
  • 2017 In France, a law requiring children under the age of 12 to wear a helmet on their bicycles becomes effective.

    helmets
    2017
  • Start of the e-scooter boom in the EU and the USA

    E-Scooter
    2017
  • The International Transport Forum (ITF) annual summit is held in Leipzig. This annual summit conference of transport ministers is organized by the ITF of the OECD. The focus of this particular summit was “Transport Safety and Security”

    2018
  • E-scooters approved for use on German roads from June 2019. Regulations: Type approval, maximum speed 20 km/h, minimum age 14, no drivers’ license required

    2019
Share page