In Japan, traffic accidents like these number about 850,000 and death toll amounts to about ten thousand per year.
Why do traffic accidents occur?

Most traffic accidents occur because of driver error, such as delay in recognition of danger, error in judgement, or error in operation.

That suggests the key to reducing traffic accidents.

If we can eliminate driver error as a cause of traffic accidents, we will be able to stamp out most of accidents.

By linking roads and vehicles through communications, Cruise Assist Systems provide drivers with information, warnings and operational support ,and in fact, can radically reduce traffic accidents by eliminating driver errors.

Cruise Assist Systems have been created by integrating Advanced Safety Vehicles (ASV) developed by the Ministry of Transport and Advanced Cruise-Assist Highway Systems (AHS) developed by the Ministry of Construction.

Roadside sensors detect obstacles, pedestrians, the condition of the road surface and other information.
Data from those sensors are processed in a useful manner for vehicles, then transmitted from beacons to vehicles.
Also, lane markers detect the path a vehicle is driving in.

Vehicles have antennas for receiving roadside information and their own sensors.
Their equipment also includes data processing units, displays for providing information to drivers, warning devices and control equipment for operational support.

The Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction began joint proving tests of these services in October 2000, here at the test course of Public Works Research Institute, Ministry of Construction in Tsukuba, to enable early implementation of Cruise Assist Systems.

Demo2000 offers you an opportunity to experience Cruise Assist Systems for yourself.
Let's take a look at some of their features.

Imagine a driver is taking a curve, where visibility is poor, and suddenly sees a stationary vehicle. He slams on the brakes, but itÕs too late.

Service of the Support for Prevention of Collisions with Forward Obstacles prevents such accidents.

Sensors in the road detect obstacles ahead on the curve. Data from them are processed by computer and sent by beacons to vehicles.

The vehicle receives the information, tells the driver about the obstacle and warn the driver to take the appropriate action.

If the driver does not respond properly, the vehicle slows down to avoid a collision.

This service is effective when rain or fog reduces visibility, too.

Now imagine a driver in an intersection. The stream of oncoming vehicles seems endless. The driver makes a swift right turn--where a pedestrian is crossing. Accidents like this cause about 55,000 injuries or fatalities every year.

Service of the Support for Prevention of Collisions with Pedestrians Crossing Streets prevents such accidents.

Roadside sensors detect pedestrians at crosswalks. Those data are processed and sent by beacon to the vehicle.

Picking up that information, the vehicle takes action to alert the driver to the pedestrians.

Vehicles in the intersection block other driversÕ lines of sight. A driver is turning right when a vehicle going straight appears out of nowhere. Situations like this are behind accidents that cause about 90,000 injuries or fatalities annually.

Service of the Support for Prevention of Right Turn Collisions prevents such accidents.

Roadside sensors detect a vehicle approaching on a vehicleÕs blind side.
Again, those data are processed and sent by beacons to the vehicle.

Picking up that information, the vehicle takes action to alert the driver to the approaching vehicle.

Cruise Assist Systems, as these examples show, eliminate the causes of accidents by linking roads and vehicles. Together, they make road transport safer and smoother.

As Cruise Assist Systems are widely implemented, halving traffic accidents may no longer be a mere dream.