PSA Peugeot Citroën and Renault Create a Joint Research Organization to Study the Psychology of Driver Behavior 
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PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault have announced the creation of a joint research organization dedicated to studying the psychology of driver behavior, as part of their commitment to improving traffic safety. The new unit will be allocated a budget of EUR 2 million, to be shared equally by the two carmakers, and will operate as part of their jointly managed Accidentology and Biomechanics Laboratory (LAB).  

Like the other LAB programs conducted over the past 30 years, the driver psychology research will be based on scientific methods integrating field observation and the analysis of real-life situations. It will be multidisciplinary and supported by socio-cultural, cognitive and ergonomic data gathered from a wide range of behavioral psychology studies.  

The programs will be carried out in partnership with other specialized organizations, such as leading French institutes that conduct scientific, health, medical, transport and safety research, as well as university laboratories in France and elsewhere.  

Just as the LAB's current projects have helped improve car and passenger safety, the new research is expected to result in tangible, applicable proposals.  

PSA Peugeot Citroën and Renault are dedicated to designing and building safer vehicles, since this is clearly one way to reduce the number of accidents. Through their new joint action, the partners have taken a new step towards helping to decrease the number of deaths on French roads, which last year was an unacceptable 8,000. 

(September 12, 2000)