Automated Highway System (AHS) Operational Demonstration Tests

Date		September 19, 1996
Venue		Joshinetsu Expressway, Komoro, Japan
Organized by		PWRI of MOC and partners in private industry
Total participants		1,300
Summary		To verify the influence of lateral and longitudinal incline, overpasses, etc., which were among the various technical issues that were identified in the AHS Demonstration Tests held the preceding year on a real-road environment, temporary test facilities were set up on a new expressway before its opening in order to test the feasibility of AHS using 11 vehicles.

Joshinetsu Expressway where the demo was held

[Key Demo Features]

In the demo tests of vehicle control on road structures involving lateral incline, longitudinal incline, etc., the relationship between in-vehicle devices and various external disturbances such as power lines and overpasses, and automated cruising and safe driving system, were examined.

(1) Fully automated functional AHS system
AHS operation involves 11 individual vehicles optimally spaced in platoon using a radar placed on the vehicles and speed controlled by LCX instructions.

11-vehicles platooning

AHS Test Vehicle

(2) The following features of the safe driving system were tested.

1) Maximum velocity control associated with possible operational speed by LCX instructions When a vehicle exceeds the speed limit transmitted from LCX, a warning is issued and the vehicle is slowed to the speed limit by automatic braking.

2) Automated cruise control function responding to speed control instructions from LCX This cruising feature is capable of changing speed settings depending on the speed limit transmitted by the LCX.

3) Lane departure avoidance warning The driver is alerted to divergence from the lane using magnetic markers and lane markers embedded on the road.

Example of lane departure warning

4) Tracking control function with a radar
Appropriate individual vehicle spacing in platoon operation is maintained by detecting spaces between vehicles using a laser radar.

5) Automated vehicle stop
Onboard laser radar is used to detect fallen obstacles and other hazards and to stop the vehicle automatically. 6)Incident detection and warning function Information on hazardous situation (accidents that have occured ahead, etc.) detected by roadside sensors is received via LCX and the driver alerted.