Cidaut, The Center for automotive research and development was founded in 1993 as a non-profit making organisation. Its main objective is to increase competitiveness and industrial development of companies operating mainly in the automotive sector, but also in the railway and aircraft sector, through strengthening their industrial fabric by increasing their technological capabilities, in such a way that they are able to develop new products and processes.

Technological Research and Development is the main activity carried out by the Centre where several broad areas are covered: Crashworthiness and Occupant Safety, Products & Processes Design and Development, Materials (energy absorption foams, plastics, light alloys, etc.), Acoustics and Vibration Dynamics, Environment and Engines & Energy systems.

Regarding Safety expertise, Cidaut is experienced in real world accidents and injury data, biomechanics, dummy development and test methods, virtual testing and modelling, preventive and active safety, material technologies, vehicle structural crashworthiness and restraint systems (passive safety), road furniture, HMI and ergonomics. Both experimental and virtual testing is always used.

Cidaut has been involved in quite a number of European Projects with Accident Analysis Tasks, as could be PRISM, ROBUST, RISER, from the 5th Framework Programme, and APROSYS (particularly SP4 Motorcycles Accidents), ETAC, STORHY and RANKERS from the 6th Framework Programme.

From the Human Factor Department, Cidaut is currently participating in different EU Projects. Those related to the scope of TRACE are AIDE, PreVENT and RANKERS.

Francisco J. López – Valdés is the main Cidaut representative. He received his diploma degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Valladolid. Recently, he has obtained his Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) also at the University of Valladolid. Currently he is responsible for the Innovation and Research in the Accident Analysis & Reconstruction Department of Cidaut.

He has experience in different research European projects of the 5th Framework Programme as PRISM, ROBUST and RISER, always focused on the Accidentology studies. He is also Sub-project leader of SP4 ‘Motorcycle Accidents’ in the APROSYS IP (6th FP). Mr. López-Valdés is associate professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Valladolid.

María Alonso obtained her degree in Industrial Design Engineering from the University of Valladolid (Spain) in 2000. From 2000 until 2002 she worked in CIDAUT in CAD product design, 3D photorealistic rendering and animation and User Centred Design. Later on, she joined the Ergonomics and Comfort unit, working in human factors within the automotive domain, with special attention to Human Machine Interface issues and Driver Behavioural studies. Currently, she is engaged in three European Projects from the 6th Framework Programme: AIDE (Adaptive Integrated Driver-Vehicle Interface), PReVENT (Preventive and Active Safety Applications) and RANKERS (RANKing for European Road Safety).

José Miguel Perandones Peidró received his diploma degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Valladolid. He has experience in different European research projects of the 5th Framework Programme such as RISER, focused on Accidentology studies, and of the 6th Framework Programme such as APROSYS and APSN. Currently, he is the WP5 leader within the APSN for CIDAUT together with Mr. David Pedrero.

Juan José Plaza received his diploma degree in Psychology from the University of Salamanca. Recently, he has obtained his Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) at University of Salamanca. He works as a psychologist at Cidaut´s Human Factor and Ergonomics Department. Currently, he is working in various European Projects such as AIDE (Adaptive Integrated Driver Vehicle Interface), RANKERS (Ranking for European Road Safety) and PReVENT, (Prevent and Active Safety Applications). He is also involved in other national projects dealing with human factors and ergonomics.