Field operational tests of Smartway in Japan

Efforts are underway in Japan to promote “Smartway” next-generation roadways, which provide a variety of services through the use of advanced ITS technologies. In recent years, the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management (NILIM), part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), has conducted public–private joint research on next-generation road services using ITS technologies. Field operational tests (FOTs) of services including forward obstacle information provision and merging assistance using 5.8 GHz dedicated short range communication (DSRC) were conducted on the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway through FY2007. In FY2008–2009, FOTs were conducted in three major metropolitan areas—Tokyo, Nagoya, and Keihanshin (Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe)—to promote future deployment nationwide. These included tests of information provision services to alert drivers to forward obstacles hidden beyond the crest of an incline and prevent excessive speed on sharp curves. This paper presents an overview of these FOTs conducted by NILIM in recent years and their results.