The ERTICO-coordinated MODALES project, which came to an official close on 31 May, researched a range of technologies and user aspects to help reduce pollutant emissions from conventional Internal Combustion Engine road vehicles. A key objective was to effect a sharp decrease in particle emissions from brakes and tyres as well as tailpipe (exhaust) emissions.

During the course of the project, a series of low-emission training videos, tailored to drivers of different types of vehicles, were developed. MODALES consortium member IRU, building on its expertise and knowledge in training programmes, led the creation of these videos with the aim to provide accessible, research-based recommendations to drivers. The videos provide drivers with the skills and knowledge to adapt their behaviour behind the wheel and thus contribute to mitigating the overall environmental impact of road transport while saving costs at the same time.

IRU, with support of other MODALES partners, created three different training videos: the first aimed at drivers of private cars, the second for professional drivers of taxis and Light Duty Vehicles (LDVs) such as vans, and the third for Heavy Duty Vehicle (HDV) drivers. By highlighting the impact of driving behaviour on vehicle emissions, MODALES aims to empower drivers to take simple actions and contribute actively to improving air quality.

The recommendations given in these videos were developed by the entire MODALES consortium based on outcomes from the project’s earlier work-packages on Defining low-emission factors (WP2, led by the University of Leeds) and Impact of user behaviours (WP3, led by VTT), which in turn led to a deliverable in WP5 entitled “Guidelines for low-emission driving” (D5.1, coordinated by RACC-ACASA). The technical deliverables containing this research are available here.

The training videos were initially restricted to participants in the MODALES on-road trials, where a low-emission driving assistant using a smartphone app was also tested. Different language versions were produced according to the locations where MODALES trial sites operated, in seven European countries and in China. Hence the car driver video is available with soundtracks in English, French, Italian and Spanish, as well as versions with subtitles in Chinese, Finnish, Greek and Turkish. The taxi/LDV and HDV videos are in English, with Chinese subtitled versions also being available.

As the MODALES trials have now been completed, these training videos have been made public and are available on the MODALES website here.

The videos were supported by an online Awareness Campaign led by MODALES partner FIA, including several of its affiliated motoring organisations in Europe. This gives simple messages that are consistent to those in the videos, and were disseminated via social media in several European countries with the hashtag #MODALEStips. The campaign materials are available in 11 languages here.

Learn more in the latest “MODALES focus on” interview with IRU on the project’s website here and in last month’s interview with FIA here.

The MODALES project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 815189.