ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems)

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Updated: November 2011

Utilizing the latest ICT technologies, Japan's ITS not only promotes the optimization of road traffic control, but also realizes reduction of traffic accidents and congestion, and aims to co-exist with energy saving society.
Research and development of ITS has been accelerated since the beginning of 1970's. At that time, the term "ITS" was not used. At the second World Congress in Yokohama, Japan first proposed the term "ITS". Since then "ITS" was used worldwide.
Under cooperative project between Japanese government and private companies, "Grand design of ITS Promotion" clarified nine development fields and twenty one utility services in July 1997, and led them into national projects.
Research and development of Japan's ITS, such as car navigation, VICS (Vehicle Information Communication System) and ETC (Electronic Toll Collection system) have progressed, and market of these systems has grown rapidly in Japan.
In the second stage of ITS, "ITS Promotion Guide Line" as government/private collaborating project promoted the practical applications of ITS, and assisted safety driving to realize "the world's safest road traffic environment".
And hereafter, Japan's ITS activities are also expected as a better approach to "a sustainable mobile society", and solve the environmental issues and traffic issues.

Progress of Japan's ITS and New Challenge

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Car navigation, VICS and ETC in Japan

[image]The number of car navigation systems and VICS units in Japan market

Source:: Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association and Vehicle Information and Communication System Center

Accumulated number of car navigation systems was about 45 million in March 2011, since 1996. In FY 2010, about 5 million systems were shipped.

Accumulated number of VICS units installed in car navigation systems was about 30 million in March 2011 since the service started in April 1996.

[image]The number of navigation system units in market (from JEITA)

Source:: Organization for Road System Enhancement

Accumulated number of setups (ETC-equipped vehicles) reached about 43 million, and ETC is used approximately 7 million times a day. At toll gate of expressway in Japan, the ETC utilization ratio (percentage of ETC-equipped vehicles) is 86% on March 2011. Especially in the Metropolitan Expressway, about 89% of vehicles use ETC, according to Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd.

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Technology of ETC

[image]ITS technology of two-way communication between a vehicle and a roadside unit

An active Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) technology is introduced as the Japanese Electronic Toll Collection system (ETC), and this 5.8 GHz band DSRC is an ITS technology of two-way communication between a vehicle and a roadside unit.

The ETC using 5.8 GHz band DSRC technology enables the flexible implementation of road pricing to debit registered car owners without requiring them to stop and various pricing concepts are applied to optimize the road traffic in downtown areas.

ITU adopted 5.8 GHz band active DSRC based on Japanese standard (ARIB STD-T75), as an international radio communications standard for ITS in 2002 (ITU-R M.1453).

[image]Channel Allocation of DSRC in Japan [image]fig1

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International Promotion Activities

ARIB promotes Japanese ITS technologies to oversea countries, through seminars and exhibitions such as ITS World Congress and Asia-Pacific ITS Forum.

ITS World Congress 2008

Asia-Pacific ITS Forum 2008

Related organizations (Link to the organizations) ;

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