Information terminals are installed at road-side areas, to provide users with various services, such as road, tourist and regional information. In 1997, the first terminal was installed in Kochi to test the system. Today, all roadside rest areas throughout Japan are equipped with such terminals.
In Kochi Prefecture, the client-server method is used, in which the server for processing and controlling data is located at the central roadside rest area and only client terminals are installed at the other rest areas. The system provides information about road traffic restrictions, parking availability, weather, tourism and public services. Of these, users access tourist information most, followed by road information and meteorological information.
[Kochi Prefecture]
People using information terminals at a "roadside rest area"
Advanced information at roadside rest areas
