1.1 What is ITS?
1.2 Background Situation and Significance of Promoting ITS
1.3 Japan's
Tasks with Respect to Global ITS
1.4 Significance of Working Out a Comprehensive Plan for ITS
The Intelligent Transport Systems(hereafter called ITS) is intended for advances in navigation systems, establishment of electronic toll collection, assistance for safe driving, optimization of traffic management and increasing efficiency in road management by building an integrated system of people, roads and vehicles utilizing advanced data communication technologies.
While providing users with quick information required for their safe and comfortable travel in ways easy to understand, ITS makes automated vehicle operations possible by making the most of information and control technology. With these operations, ITS makes it possible for users to enjoy a high level of use of roads and reduces many of the work loads commonly associated with driving, walking, and cycling. In this way, ITS will accomplish a major improvement in road transport safety, efficiency and comfort, and traffic operations and congestion, thereby significantly contributing to the realization of an improved quality of life and environmental conservation.
ITS will contribute greatly to finding solutions to the problems facing today's road transport, such as traffic accidents and traffic congestion. At the same time, ITS is expected to play a primary role in expanding and creating new markets for auto and data communication-related industries.
Additionally, ITS is expected to play an important role in materializing an advanced information communication society designed to meet the requirements of the 2lst century.
(1) Breakthrough for Solving Road Transport Problems
Vehicular traffic on roads has greatly contributed to the development of the national economy, and is fulfilling a critical role in modern society. On the other hand, traffic accidents have increased, resulting in a death toll of over 10,000 persons per year. Additionally, traffic congestion in urban areas has caused economic losses amounting to 12 trillion yen, and time losses amounting to 5.6 billion person-hours* (according to one estimate). Major problems have surfaced with respect to transport safety and efficiency. Also, issues such as environmental deterioration along roads, disharmony with the global environment, and increased energy consumption are growing in severity and importance. Solutions to these problems are strongly needed.
With Japan's diverse natural and social conditions, what is often requested is the availability of a means of road transport that is highly reliable and serviceable despite weather extremes and natural disasters, plus improvement in service standards of public transport in local areas.
In the 21st century, certain social constraints will be apparent such as the aging of the population, further decline in the birth rate and still further decline in the productive population. In the area of road transport, the realization of a system to reduce the driver's work load is needed. Also required is coordination of traffic so that users can choose various modes of travel with comfort and improved efficiency.
Responding to such requests, the promotion of ITS will reduce traffic accidents and reduce time losses resulting from traffic congestion. Also, it will become possible for users to travel with a high degree of reliability and convenience in response to the needs of the respective regions. It will also be possible to realize energy efficiency by alleviating traffic congestion and improving traffic flow. By mitigating the effects of traffic congestion and traffic flow and adjusting the volume of traffic, efficient energy use and reduction of vehicle emissions will be accomplished, thereby contributing to the maintenance of a sound environment along the roads and the global environment. Further, reduction of driver's work load by ITS can provide a road transport system that will be easier for the elderly to utilize, with the arrival of an aging society. In addition, ITS can provide the distribution businesses, the artery of industry, with a better business environment for the transport of goods. In this way, promotion of ITS can be expected to finally solve the various problems caused by traffic congestion and serve as the foundation for strengthening the traffic system which plays such a vital role in Japan's industrial base.
(2) Creation of New Industries
In light of Japan's current low economic growth rate and recent business trends, it is necessary to promote new industries that can stimulate demand, create markets for their products, and revitalize the economy. For that purpose, it is essential to forecast social and economic trends of the future, encourage new research activities, support capital investments and production activities to pave the way for the 21st century, and create an industrial field where development of markets around the world is possible.
Amid this situation, ITS is often considered as playing a core role in the multimedia industry with enormous market potential. In fact, ITS already has a large market with respect to car navigation systems, with over one million units having been sold in Japan by 1995. ITS was introduced to the world of road transport, which is inherently closely connected to people's lives. As ITS is much looked forward to by road users, its use for practical purposes responding to the needs of users will lead to the formation of a large-scale new market in areas related to the automobile industry and data communications industry.
(3) Leader of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society
Individuals'free and broad range of travel by vehicle; high mobility between remote areas by high-speed railway, car or airplane; and high-quality global wire and wireless communications and telecommunications networks are necessary conditions for the realization of a rich and vigorous life. An advanced information and telecommunications society is supported by advanced information and communications technology, and is a society in which immediate and bi-directional massive loads of information communication can be performed.
The earliest possible realization of such a society is eagerly sought. Through road transport, which is closely connected with people's daily lives, ITS presents specific configurations of an advanced information and telecommunications society to people. For the realization of ITS, utilization of information communication technologies that speed up the pace of progress in various fields is necessary. At the same time, promotion of ITS will accelerate advancement of information-related equipment, and support the progress of an advanced information and telecommunications society in other fields.
Due to public demand, development of ITS for everyday practical purposes has already partially begun, with the intention of nationwide development and deployment.
By keeping in harmony with the development of information-oriented operations in other fields, ITS is expected to play the leading role in the pursuit and realization of an advanced information and telecommunications society.
(1) International Situations Surrounding ITS
With Japan, the U.S. and Europe taking the lead, development of ITS on a global scale is being carried out. The U.S. and a number of European countries in particular are aggressively and systematically promoting ITS as their central theme in implementing road transport policies, by adjusting their systems, plans, and budgets. In the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan and other nations share common tasks to accomplish, work has started on ITS.
(a) Activities in the U.S.
The U.S. made efforts to develop ERGS (Electronic Route Guidance Systems), which utilizes two-way road-vehicle communications to provide route guidance, in the period from the late 1960s to 1970. After that, such a project had not been carried out for some time. In 1988, however, an informal study team called "Mobility 2000" was organized, and a new attempt was made. To expand on this theme and establish a national focus, IVHS America (Intelligent Vehicle Highway Society of America) was established in 1990. Subsequently, ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) was legislated in December 1991, and ITS was positioned as a central project of road transport policy.
While efforts were being made to foster a supportive environment for implementation of ITS, the first major step was the drafting of an ITS implementation plan. In May 1992, the IVHS Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan for Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems in the United States) was formulated as a grand design to promote ITS over the next 20 years. In March 1995, the National ITS Program Plan was prepared by ITS America (Intelligent Transportation Society of America), the new name given to IVHS America by USDOT (United States Department of Transportation) in September 1994; comprehensive materials for planning and introduction of the final goals for developing and deploying ITS were provided.
In addition, promotion of the development of specific systems is being aggressively conducted, and at more than 80 places across the United States, field tests have been or are being conducted. On top of this, AHS (Automated Highway System), a key project conducted by NAHSC (National Automated Highway System Consortium) is being promoted with Government participation. In order to clarify the framework of services to be realized by ITS and the mutual relationships between or among various systems, a system architecture with USDOT playing a central role is under development. The final report is expected in June 1996, and compilation of all available data into one volume on the ITS promotion plan is scheduled for completion.
According to the changing structure of the system architecture, promotion of ITS in the U.S. is moving from a planning phase to an infrastructure improvement phase. In January 1996, "Operation Time Saver" to introduce ITI (Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure) for realization of ITS in 75 major cities as a goal for the next 10 years was announced by USDOT.
(b) Activities in Europe
In Europe, the development of ALI (Autofahrer Leit und Informations System) was promoted in the mid-1970s with Germany playing a central role. In 1986 PROMETHEUS (Programme for a European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety) began, lead by the private sector, and in 1988 the public sector-led DRIVE (Dedicated Road Infrastructure for Vehicle Safety in Europe) program commenced. These programs have been succeeded by the current PROMOTE (Programme for Mobility in Transportation in Europe) and the Telematics Applications Programme. In addition, ERTICO (European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination Organization) was set up as a public-private sector organization to provide support for refining and implementing Europe's Transport Telematics Project.
The issue of standardization is also being aggressively addressed in Europe. CEN (Commité Européen de Normalisation)/TC278 was established in 1990 to handle standardization activities, followed by the founding of ISO (International Organization for Standardization)/TC (Technical Committee) 204.
(c) Activities in the Asia-Pacific Region
In the Asia-Pacific region, road transport problems are becoming increasingly serious because of the high population concentration in urban areas and the sudden growth of motorization in many countries.
In trying to cope with the situation, several countries (e.g., Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore) are grappling with the issue of installing electronic toll collection systems. Work on ITS has started in other countries as well.
(2) Work on ITS in Japan
(a) First Period
Japan actually started working on ITS much earlier than many other countries around the world. In 1973, work on CACS (Comprehensive Automobile Traffic Control System) was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, with the development of a route guidance system and test operations. This period can be called the first period of ITS development.
(b) Second Period
During the 1980s, work on RACS (Road/Automobile Communication System) by the Ministry of Construction, and AMTICS (Advanced Mobile Traffic Information and Communication Systems) by the National Police Agency was carried out. Through joint efforts with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, which had worked on standardization projects, these endeavors were streamlined and combined into VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System).
From the late 1980s through the 1990s, ARTS (Advanced Road Transportation Systems, a Ministry of Construction project), in which the overall concept on advancement of road traffic through integration of roads and vehicles was structured, was pursued. Accompanying this project were various others, including SSVS (Super Smart Vehicle System) intended for the intelligent vehicle traffic system (a Ministry of International Trade and Industry project), ASV (Advanced Safety Vehicle) intended for promotion of research and development of vehicle safety technologies (a Ministry of Transport project), and UTMS (Universal Traffic Management System) intended for comprehensive traffic management by covering even the generation of road traffic (a National Police Agency project). Work on the development of specific technologies or systems outside of the above-mentioned programs has also been conducted. Three examples are the following; (1) low power millimeter wave radar, which will play an important role in preventing car collisions (a Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications project); (2) a non-stop electronic toll collection system, which will enable users to pay tolls automatically (electronically) without stopping at toll stations (a Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and Ministry of Construction project); and (3) research and development work on a wireless card system expected to be used, for example, in the non-stop electronic toll collection system (a Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications project).
Meanwhile, VERTIS (Vehicle, Road, and Traffic Intelligence Society) has been organized by representatives of industry and academia, and is conducting a variety of ITS-related activities, such as information exchanges with ITS America, ERTICO, other world conference secretariats, and relevant officials in Western countries. Positive efforts are being made in forming a private-sector ITS market; on the basis of the digital road map developed jointly by the public and private sectors, car navigation systems utilizing GPS, and other technologies have been made commercially available. As a result of these achievements, the number of cumulative shipments of vehicles equipped with navigation systems exceeded 1 million units in 1995. Clearly, a new promising market is being created. The period from 1980 to the beginning of 1995 can be called the second period of ITS development.
(c) Third Period
Amid the situation outlined above, the Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society Headquarters headed by the Prime Minister finalized the "Basic Guidelines on the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society" in February 1995. Five government offices and concerned agencies prepared the "Basic Government Guidelines of Advanced Information and Communications in the Fields of Roads, Traffic and Vehicles" in August 1995, and began to grapple with ITS development and practical use based on a unified policy. The period following this time of dealing with ITS in a consistent and harmonious manner, as seen in making VICS available for practical use, can be called the third period of ITS development.
Following the publication of the basic guideline, the five government bodies promoted research and development on infrastructure provision for advancing navigation systems and assistance for safe driving. They also promoted development and deployment in various ITS fields such as the optimization of traffic management. At the second ITS World Congress held in Yokohama in November 1995, they presented their then-current efforts on ITS to experts and operators from academia, industry and governments around the world. The congress served as a forum for international technology and information exchange.
In 1996, Japan allocated 59.6 billion yen for making ITS available for practical use and for improvement of infrastructure, and 7.4 billion yen for research and development of ITS. With such a high level of financial support, the conditions for more aggressive promotion of ITS are being prepared.
Observing the situation of ITS promotion in Japan from an international viewpoint, three main tasks regarding international cooperation can be envisaged. They are summarized in the subsections that follow.
(a) Work in Cooperation with Western Countries
When Japan started individual work on ITS, it was among the early pioneers of ITS around the world. Over the years, Japan has accumulated a substantial knowledge base from research and development work on ITS. Consequently, there are several fields in which ITS developments are ahead of those in other countries, e.g., road map databases, navigation systems, and road-vehicle communications.
It is indispensable for Japan to exchange information and personnel with countries around the world to share technologies and information to further advance the development and deployment of ITS worldwide. Such international exchanges include offering Japanese advanced technologies to other nations to contribute aggressively to the world community in promoting ITS, as well as introducing advanced expertise from the U.S. and Europe.
(b) Achieve ITS Suited for the Asia-Pacific Region
It is necessary for Japan to steadily improve road infrastructure, which is short in quantity, to solve road transport problems, and to achieve advanced use of roads by promoting ITS. This situation, of course, is not unique to Japan. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are experiencing or have already experienced rapid motorization with comparatively slow-paced road infrastructure improvements.
The development of ITS in Japan can serve as a model for ITS planning in other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. As a member of this important region, Japan is motivated to pursue aggressive technical and personnel exchanges and provide the necessary support for realization of ITS.
(c) Provide Input to ITS-related International Standardization Activities
If internationally interoperable ITS is to be achieved, worldwide effort and support are required in the area of international standardization.
ISO/TC204* and ITU-R** (International Telecommunication Union-Radio Communication Sector) are working on standardization related to ITS under the title of TICS (Transport Information and Control Systems).
It is necessary for Japan to aggressively participate in standardization activities to ensure that its views are well understood by the world community, and to reflect development trends of ITS-related industries in the country.
1.4 Significance of Working Out a Comprehensive Plan for ITS
ITS covers extensive areas such as roads, traffic, vehicles and information communications. Not only under the National Police Agency, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and Ministry of Construction, but also through alliances and cooperation among industry, academia and government, ITS has become the first truly national project to be realized. In promoting such a national project, a strategic way of working on it within a comprehensive plan is indispensable.
In Japan, efficient research and development activities have been conducted such that much of the work that could become a nucleus of ITS was aggressively carried out and linked to practical use. From now on, by making the most of the acquired technical know-how, dealing systematically with ITS is the required work in a new phase.
The comprehensive plan for ITS will clarify the relation between people's everyday lives and ITS. It is expected that the public will then acquire a deeper understanding of the need for ITS. For those from industry, academia and government, the comprehensive plan will serve as a common recognition and goal concerning their roles and the significance of research and development, as a result of which they can make planned efforts systematically and efficiently. In addition, Japan can show the world how the nation is dealing with ITS, thereby helping to realize smooth international cooperation and harmonious relations.
In light of this background, this comprehensive plan for ITS was prepared by the five government bodies concerned with ITS, following "Basic Guidelines on the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society" and "Basic Government Guidelines of Advanced Information and Communications in the Fields of Road, Traffic and Vehicles". This comprehensive plan was designed to provide a long-term vision to illustrate basic concepts about targeted ITS functions, development and deployment, such that establishment of ITS in Japan would be systematically and efficiently promoted in accordance with the stated needs of users.
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