Honda a Japanese automaker is currently developing probably the first ever communication systems for vehicle. It aims to eliminate both fuel use and traffic jams by monitoring car driver’s acceleration and also the braking habits. An information Honda uttered seems to be very promising since its promoting and encourage smooth driving.
It so happens many times either in you or me, but most common every time the traffic is getting too heavy and all vehicles ahead of you starts to slow. For sure if there’s an inattentive driver in your lane it will all of the sudden get panic and slams over his brake causing the chain reaction that will possibly lead to a complete traffic stoppage of all the cars in the lane. This happening can be prevented if everyone will pay attention and will maintain even speed; each one can possibly reach in their destination safely. Honda is studying closes to this scenario and hopeful to deploy all new system to make this into reality.
Honda together with the University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, created on-board terminals for connecting to cloud based computing systems to allow communications between each cars on the same road which can help drivers to maintain a relatively constant distance when driving between the other vehicles. Honda said that this system that also work with adaptive cruise control to adjust and regulate speed automatically among the group of vehicles. This coming May 2012 they will be performing the very first public road tests that will be happening in Italy and Indonesia. Lastly, Honda says that by using this system it will boost average speed at 23 percent which will increase fuel economy by closely eight percent.
Below is the complete Press Release from Honda
Public-road Testing to Begin in May 2012
TOKYO, Japan, April 26, 2012 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the successful development of the world’s first*1 technology to detect the potential for traffic congestion and determine whether the driving pattern of the vehicle is likely to create traffic jams. Honda developed this technology while recognizing that the acceleration and deceleration behavior of one vehicle influences the traffic pattern of trailing vehicles and can trigger the traffic congestion.
In conjunction with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo, Honda conducted experimental testing of a system utilizing the technology to detect the potential for traffic congestion. The test results demonstrated that the system helped increase the average speed by approximately 23% and improved fuel efficiency by approximately 8% of trailing vehicles.
With the goal to bring this technology to market, Honda will begin the first public-road testing of the technology in Italy and Indonesia in May and July of this year, respectively, to verify the effectiveness of the technology in minimizing vehicle congestion.
Rather than providing information to help the driver avoid existing congestion based on current traffic information, the system monitors the acceleration and deceleration patterns of the vehicle to determine whether the driver’s driving pattern is likely to create traffic congestion. Based on this determination, the system provides the driver with appropriate information, including a color-coded display through the on-board terminal, to encourage smooth driving which will help alleviate the intensity of acceleration and deceleration by trailing vehicles, thereby helping to prevent or minimize the occurrence of vehicle congestion.
Moreover, the positive effect on minimizing congestion and fuel efficiency improvement can be further increased*4 by connecting the on-board terminals to cloud*2 servers to make the driver aware of and in sync with the driving patterns of vehicles ahead by activating the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)*3 system at the right time to maintain a constant distance between vehicles at the most appropriate interval.
Traffic congestion causes not only a delay in arrival time but also an increase in CO2 emissions and a higher potential for rear-end collisions. Striving to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” and “a sustainable society where people can enjoy life,” as stated in the Honda Environmental Vision, Honda will work toward the establishment of a congestion-free mobility society all around the world.
