International Seminar & Workshop on Vehicle Safety Communications

The International Seminar on Vehicle Safety Communications was held on September 3, 2003 at Kasumigaseki Plaza Hall. Specialists in the area of "support communications for safe vehicle operation" (also referred to as vehicle safety communications, VSC), from Japan, Europe and the United States each gave presentations regarding the development and future plans of VSC in their respective countries, the objective being to exchange information about VSC and discuss its promotion.
This seminar was the first of its kind in the world-never before had researchers for automotive systems and communications systems assembled together under one roof-and many interesting and deep discussions were held. A total of 233 attendants participated, contributing to a very successful event.

On September 4 and 5, The International Workshop on Vehicle Safety Communications was held in a conference room of the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses. American, European and Asian experts in charge of promoting VSC technologies participated, and discussed a number of issues related to each country: 10 from Japan, 4 from the United States and 7 from Europe.
Approximately 50 people, including the lecturers, attended the workshop, it being the first-ever international workshop to discuss safety issues regarding both inter-vehicular communications and vehicle-to-road facilities communications. A proposal was made to hold the second workshop in June or July 2004 on the west coast of the United States.

View the Presentation Materials from the International Seminar & Workshop on Vehicle Safety Communications - Click here
- For the seminar, please reference 2003/Sep/3
- For the workshop, please reference 2003/Sep/4-5.)
- Due to the large file size, right clicking on the file and downloading it before reading it is recommended.

Location of International Seminar on Vehicle Safety Communications (9/3)

Summary of Lectures Given at the International Seminar on Vehicle Safety Communications

Opening Remarks
Mr. Masahiko FUJIMOTO

"Japan's national strategy for ITS is outlined in the "e-Japan Priority Plan". The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications has also been supporting the development of DSRC as a new technology following VICS and ETC. With the opportunities of the upcoming ITS World Congress in 2004 and Expo in Aichi in 2005, we anticipate the introduction of solutions for many of the problems in societies reliant on vehicles for transportation, and thus promote the role of ITS as a leading industry."

Keynote Address
Prof. Hironao KAWASHIMA

"Reduce the number of traffic-related deaths 30% in the United States by the year 2008. Reduce the number of traffic-related deaths 50% in Europe by the year 2010. And in Japan, we are working to reduce traffic-related deaths, lessen traffic congestion and improve the environment at the national level by introducing tangible numerical values. This seminar has provided an opportunity for the leading people of Japan, the United States and Europe to gather, and we anticipate effective discussions will be held. At this meeting, simultaneous to the collaboration of Japan, the United States and Europe, we must learn and understand each other's social backgrounds and express mutually accepted views as we work to apply universal communications technologies. As a part of this, situations in which communications and vehicle experts can discuss matters openly and face-to-face must be provided. I would like the members here to hold in common the objectives of exchanging information regarding communications technologies for vehicle safety at the international level and contributing to the timely development of vehicle safety applications."

Session 1
Mr. Tom SCHAFFNIT
Developments in Vehicle Safety Communications in America

Mr. SCHAFFNIT discussed the necessity of vehicle safety in the United States, mentioning that seven automobile companies joined together to establish a consortium to set forth national objectives regarding the potential roles of communications technologies both in terms of roadside use and vehicular use, and commented as to his expectations of the potential roles.
He spoke on the necessity to shift the focus from mechanisms utilized only after an accident has occurred (after crash) to mechanisms that prevent accidents from happening (Prevent/Mitigate Crash), and active safety mechanisms and communications technologies that can be applied to any situation, and discussed services that are expected to be developed for each form of communications, especially in consideration of application scenarios based on traffic conditions in the United States. For example, 80% of all traffic accidents that occur in the United States involve vehicles only, showing that traffic conditions are quite different than in Japan where the accident rate involving pedestrians is high. This is a noteworthy point for understanding why the selection of priority applications would be different for each country.
He spent time explaining each of the projects being conducted in the United States and the communications standards. And in conclusion, he stated that in order to actualize the large-scale use of vehicle safety communications systems that the creation of a long-term plan and investment are required

Session 2
Prof. Takaaki HASEGAWA
Developments in Vehicle Safety Communications in Japan

Professor Hasegawa started by introducing projects related to vehicle safety in Japan, mentioning the work of the ITS Info-communications Forum and Inter-vehicular Communications System Expert Group, where priority applications have been narrowed, rough communication specifications plans drafted and scenarios presented to spread the use of inter-vehicular communications systems. Approaches to this technology by Japan, the United States and Europe differ slightly.
He then discussed the research work on future technologies and international standardization being conducted by the ITS Center of the Japan Automobile Research Institute and the development of a system by the Advanced Cruise-Assist Highway System Research Association that supports safe operation through completion of the roadside infrastructure, and commented that communication and position identification technologies are indispensable for vehicle safety. Here, he asserted that not only information for relative positioning, but that for determining direction is also important and that inter-vehicular systems will contribute to vehicle safety.

Session 3
Mr. Guy FREMONT
Developments in Vehicle Safety Communications in Europe

Mr. FREMONT introduced the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems in Europe (ADASE). By providing active safety through the collaboration of vehicle onboard and roadside systems, the goal of reducing the number of traffic-related deaths to half by 2010 can be achieved. He commented that although applications introduced in the project roadmap are the same as those considered by the ITS Info-communications Forum, the usage of the communications technologies and media are different. For example, instead of introducing new technologies, driving operations can be effectively supported using technologies already present in the existing infrastructure, such as GSM and FM. In addition to providing driving operations, "convenient information" is being provided using the same media in an attempt to expand the use of onboard equipment in vehicles. He explained that yet another idea is, "The driver becomes an actor in the improvement of road safety." The concept is that use of the technologies and systems expands because the driver becomes used to experiencing the safe, comfortable drive enabled by the collaboration between onboard vehicle equipment and the infrastructure.

Q & A Session

As understood from the replies to questions asked during the seminar, the United States is thinking of introducing VSC applications around 2007. Regarding the new German ETC system that will use the European version of GPS (Galileo) and mobile telephones... Galileo is planned for launch into orbit in 2006, and applications for ETC, safety, etc. are being discussed, but an agreement on details is required in the future.

Lecturers
(top, left to right) Mr. Masahiko FUJIMOTO, Prof. Hironao KAWASHIMA, Mr. Tom SCHAFFNIT
(bottom, left to right) Prof. Takaaki HASEGAWA , Mr. Guy FREMONT, Mr. Satoshi OYAMA