Nissan is developing its Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) in hopes of reducing road accidents in Japan. Using traffic information collected by NTT DoCoMo’s CARWINGS-enabled mobile phone subscribers, the ITS system can route drivers through the quickest path, warn of potential vehicle/pedestrian collisions, and notify of speed limit changes (a school zone, for example). The “probe data” from NTT DoCoMo’s mobile phones are fed into a Nissan server and processed into traffic information. The traffic information is, in turn, transmitted wirelessly to drivers’ CARWINGS navigation screens.
ITS provides real-time data on surrounding vehicles to warn drivers of un-seen vehicles (like around a blind turn), vehicles approaching on a threatening vector, and even if drivers are coming up on that stop sign a bit too fast. And, since the probe data is collected by NTT DoCoMo, even pedestrians’ location data can be tracked and delivered to drivers. Using visual and audible alerts, the CARWINGS navigation system can help a driver become more aware of traffic threats.
As an added benefit, the real-time traffic data allows CARWINGS subscribers to navigate the quickest route on-the-fly. There are already navigation systems that re-route drivers based on congestion data, but the traffic alerts are unreliable and slow to be delivered. ITS’s real-time data gives drivers’ an immediate heads up to changing traffic conditions.
So what the heck does this have to do with mobile technology? Well, the probe data is collected by NTT DoCoMo, in collaboration with Nissan. We all hope this system turns out to actually reduce traffic collisions and congestion – it would be nice to not have to sit in rush-hour traffic twice a day. If the system proves successful, we may see ITS implementations outside of Japan.
via: gizmag