ACI

Description:

The Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) is a public non-profit body and a federation of over 100 Automobile Clubs and other bodies and associations, all operating in the fields of mobility, environment, tourism and sport.

With about 1 million members, ACI has the statutory mandate of representing and protecting the interests of Italian motorists and the right to mobility for all road users and is committed to promoting road safety ever since its foundation in 1905. ACI is a founding member of the FIA - Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile - and of TTS Italia, the Italian association of ITS private and public stakeholders, a member of EuroNCAP and of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and cooperates with the Italian National Institute of Statistics within the National Statistical Programme taking care of the surveys on road accidents. Moreover, ACI has been entrusted by the State to supply public services since 1927.

Among the activities carried out by ACI - many of them in cooperation with other public bodies as well as private enterprises, those regarding the different facets of mobility stand out as especially relevant to spreading a new culture in line with the principles of safe mobility, environment protection, sustainable development and the correct management of land use. More specifically, ACI:

• provides roadside - technical and medical assistance, drivers training and road safety education, multimedia and multichannel road traffic information and touring assistance services;
• studies all issues relating to the development and management of the mobility of people and goods;
• carries out analyses on traffic- and accident-related issues, road and motor vehicle safety, the environment and energy, offers advice and formulates proposals to national and local governments.

To better achieve its goals, ACI has a network of sister companies operating in specific field of activity according to ACI’s directives and assignments, i.e. ACI Global (roadside, technical and medical assistance); ACI Infomobility (multimedia and multichannel road traffic information), ACI Informatica (IT), Fondazione Filippo Caracciolo (study centre) and Sara Assicurazioni (insurance company). Both Fondazione Filippo Caracciolo and Sara Assicurazioni have a specific interest in PAsCAL’s activities and results, they will therefore actively cooperate in the project, sharing their knowledge and expertise.

Project role(s):

• ACI will contribute to activities related to public acceptance of CAV thanks to its direct relation with road users: from members (drivers) to learner drivers (driving schools) to policyholders.
• ACI’s main effort will be in the area of driver training and road safety education. Ready2Go is the nation-wide ACI driving school network that aims at training drivers with a strong culture of safety and risk prevention, an increased awareness of unsafe behaviours, (e.g. driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs) and a better knowledge as to how to manage dangerous situations. The ACI Ready2Go method completes the traditional training based on the ministerial provisions with 10 theory/practice complementary modules aimed at making drivers more aware of risks, teaching them how to prevent and deal with them. The modules are specifically dedicated to safe driving, defensive driving and ecological driving. Moreover a half-day practice module takes place in dedicated, protected areas where it is possible to practice specific driving techniques and verify the reaction of the vehicle in particular, dangerous situations. In addition, a dedicated app is available to prepare the driving theory test while a simulator enables trainees to practice driving without risks. All the Ready2Go Instructors are trained at the ACI-Sara Safe Driving Centres in Vallelunga (near Rome) and Lainate (near Milan).
• Through its Legislative Office and Mobility and Road Education Office, ACI will also contribute to developing policy recommendations and guidelines. The Legislative Office’s main tasks are: studying and conducting in depth analysis of all legal and administrative issues related to ACI’s mission; following the parliamentary works and, in general, the national and European legislative process, and drafting legislative proposals to be submitted to Government and Parliament. The Mobility and Road Education Office is involved in activities related to Mobility and Legal analysis also within the FIA. It also publishes the on-line Legal Magazine on Mobility and Traffic. Finally, a thematic technical table on the evolution of technological systems to support the driving was recently established at ACI, which also includes among its participants the Italian Ministry of Transport and the Ministry for Economic Development.
• Finally, ACI will be responsible for coordinating Dissemination activities, taking advantage of its long experience in communication campaigns and organisation of events as well as of an array of communication tools, from Press Office to on-line publications.