Skip to main content

Asia Pacific dignitaries to see connected vehicle showcases at ITS World Congress

ITS Japan will use advances in the country’s ITS capabilities since it last hosted the event in 2004 as the basis of several showcases and sessions the forthcoming World Congress (Tokyo 14 – 18 October), the association’s president Hajime Amano told ITS International.
June 14, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
ITS Japan's president Hajime Amano
%$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 9782 0 oLinkInternal <span class="oLinkInternal"><span class="oLinkInternal">RSS</span></span> Events (Diary) false /rss/events/ true false%>556 ITS Japan will use advances in the country’s ITS capabilities since it last hosted the event in 2004 as the basis of several showcases and sessions the forthcoming World Congress (Tokyo 14 – 18 October), the association’s president Hajime Amano told ITS International.

Two years ago Japan deployed a connected vehicle infrastructure and is in the second phase of testing connected vehicle systems and these will form the basis for a number of showcases and sessions. One idea heading for a trial is differentiated tolling by route rather than simply on distance and will reference the start and end point of the journey and apply a lower charge for drivers selecting a longer but less congested route.

“Simply charging by distance means people will tend to take the shortest route even if it is the most congested,” Amano said.

The country’s drivers are quick to adopt ITS technology and 90% of vehicles travelling on Japan’s toll roads are fitted with electronic tolling while half of all vehicles have satnav with live traffic overlays.

The Congress will cover a range of automated and connected vehicle technologies such as driver assistance systems and include demonstrations and discussions with vehicle manufacturers. “Here in Japan we have major concerns about the mobility of our rapidly ageing population and we are looking for systems tailored to the needs of elderly drivers,” he said, adding that ageing drivers is a world-wide problem.  

Another area that will be explored at length is ‘Big Data’ with a look at the opportunities it offers in terms of personal mobility and policy performance measurement. Presenters from both the public and private sectors are expected.  

A large number of delegates are expected from the wider Asia Pacific region including a number of ministers, vice ministers and high ranking public officials. Traffic problems in these regions are well known both in terms of congestion and road traffic casualties. “These countries are willing to invest in infrastructure so Congress represents a good opportunity for commercial companies,” suggests Amano.  

Speakers and sessions are still being confirmed and regular updates are being posted on %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal www.itsworldcongress.jp www.itsworldcongress.jp false http://www.itsworldcongress.jp/ false false%>

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Asfinag displays Unterwegs service for traffic and weather conditions
    October 22, 2012
    Asfinag, the Austrian motorway operator, is showing its full service portfolio in the areas of traffic information as well as traffic management at the ITS World Congress. The company’s Unterwegs service provides current traffic and weather conditions on Austrian motorways and expressways for users whether at home, at work, or on the move. Before leaving the office for the journey home, mini applications and gadgets provide commuters and users of modern operating systems like Windows7, Mac OSX with Asfinag
  • Uber suspends Barcelona service after new regulations introduced
    February 5, 2019
    Taxi-hailing giant Uber is suspending its service in the Spanish city of Barcelona. The move comes after new regulations were passed by local authorities, according to Reuters. The company started its UberX service in the city last year. But from now on, passengers using ride-hailing services will have to wait at least 15 minutes after booking a ride before they can be picked up – thus negating one of the key selling points of companies such as Uber. Speed and convenience – as well as cost – are w
  • IBTTA New Media, Communications and Human Resources Workshop
    October 9, 2015
    The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s (IBTTA) New Media, Communications and Human Resources Workshop takes at the Westin Hotel Downtown, Cleveland, Ohio from 18 to 20 October , hosted by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. The workshop, with a focus on the customer and employees, will cover bridging the generation gap, working with employees and customers of all ages, using data to effectively understand and communicate with target audiences, building brand recognition
  • Uber seeks to resume AV trials nearly eight months after Arizona fatality
    November 6, 2018
    Uber wants to resume testing its self-driving cars on public roads nearly eight months after one of its autonomous vehicles (AV) killed a pedestrian in Arizona. The ride-hailing company has released a voluntary safety report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which includes safety enhancements to help prevent crashes and fatalities. Uber says its AVs would include two mission specialists – employees who have completed advanced training courses in self-driving vehicle operations. The