WORLDWIDE AT IMET OPEN DAY
ROAD SAFETY AWARD 2018
IN THE 1ST GYMNASIUM OF TRIKALA
The future of transport is here!
A number of visitors of HIT/CERTH had the opportunity to experience a day "taken from the future" on Sunday, November 11th, for “IMET OPEN DAY 2018”, an event that seems to win more and more fans every year.
Friends of automation, new technologies and innovation, as well as a number of parents who wanted to bring their children closer to the transports of the future, had the chance to explore, drive, get entertained and win big prizes (tablets, mobile phones, double seat bicycles, bicycle accessories, educational and table games, children's books, key rings and 3D prints, children's scooters, etc.) offered by the sponsors of the event.
Children and adults traveled to the wonderful world of the technology of tomorrow, through exploring car and motorcycle simulators, virtual reality labs, driver’s behavior monitoring systems, and driving electric cars and bikes. The “show stealer” however was the "smart" glasses of the CITS system that transmit information to the rider of the electric bicycle, helping to avoid accidents.
Focus on the road safety
The main topic of this year's Open Day was road safety with the director of HIT, Dr. Evangelos Bekiaris to present the "Best Action on Road Safety" award, first established this year in collaboration with the Hellenic Association of Toll Road Network (Hellastron) and the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers (HITE), to the 1st Gymnasium of Trikala for its awareness and effective actions related to road safety. The award was received by the deputy Director of the Gymnasium, Stylianos Abrazis, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor of Trikala, Achilleas Laspas. Mr. Abrazis referred in particular to the need of training the teachers about road safety issues so that they can transfer their knowledge to the children.
The event was attended by Paralympic Swimmer Ioannis Kostakis and famous choreographer and dance tutor, Tatiana Papadopoulou, who shared the history of their experience regarding serious traffic accidents.
Apostolos Karanastasis, SYRIZA MP and the President of the Special Committee on Research and Technology of the Parliament, shared kind thoughts about the achievements of the Institute and took a tour of the premises of HIT, concluding that "it is our duty to use scientific knowledge and research as well as new technologies in new vehicles aiming at a zero number of traffic accidents”. He committed himself to providing help in integrating the training program of road traffic that includes HIT developed courses of the Electronic Driving Academy, e-Drive Academy that have already been offered as pilots in some schools. The Deputy Mayor of Tourism, Spyros Pegkas spoke regarding the close cooperation of the Municipality of Thessaloniki with HIT/CERTH, emphasizing the proposal of including the forecasts of the increasing tourist flows in the future traffic reports of the Municipality. This year's Open Day was as well attended by Apostolos Antonoudis, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Egnatia Odos, and Savvas Anastasiadis, MP.
The most dynamic energy, however, was transferred by the visitors of the institute who embraced their opportunity to get closer to the transport of the future, a future that, as explained by the researchers of the institute, is not far away.
