CW+ Premium Content/CW Nordics

Swedish authorities have responded to recent terror attacks against major population centres by bringing forward a number of technology-based solutions to protect citizens. The terrorist attack in Stockholm in April 2017 produced an immediate response from key government departments. The ministries of infrastructure and enterprise and innovation led an initiative to partner the automotive industry to develop an integrated IT/geo-fencing system to protect Sweden’s towns and cities against attacks by terrorists using vehicles as “killing machines”. The 2017 truck attack on the pedestrianised Drottninggatan Street left five people dead and 14 seriously injured. Sweden’s preferred option is to employ a combination of advanced IT, digital and GPS technologies to secure restricted urban areas against terrorist-related vehicular attacks. “The technology exists to better protect our towns, cities and the public,” said infrastructure minister Tomas Eneroth. “What we need to do now is test it on a large scale. We are lucky in this regard ...