DaimlerChrysler engineers claim that cars fitted with enhanced radar warning systems could help substantially reduce the accident death toll and £60bn cost of accidents on European roads.

Gerhard Rollmann and Volker Schmid say that the fitting of 24GHz short-range radar sensors could be used to sense an imminent crash, adjust safety belts, help the driver change lanes and bring the car to a halt.

The system, called Sara (Short Range Automotive Radar Allocation). The system would require telecommunications agencies to agree wavelength use. But it could be on the road by 2005.

“We are reluctant to issue promises, but we are hoping that more than 80 per cent of accidents could be addressed by this system,” says Rollman.