Honda develops technology to reduce traffic congestion, Japan

Originally published on the site of NL Agency.

Summary

Honda has developed a system that can detect the potential for traffic congestion and determine whether the driving pattern of the vehicle is likely to cause traffic jams (1). In conjunction with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo, Honda conducted an experimental test of the system in Japan. The test result showed that the system improved the average speed by twenty three percent and reduced fuel consumption by eight percent.

Details

Figure 1 shows an image of the congestion prevention effect with Honda’s system. When the congestion minimizer system is used, the system-equipped car keeps driving smoothly maintaining a constant distance from the vehicle in front. It reduces the intensity of acceleration and deceleration when congestion occurs. Honda has developed the system independently and approximately is covered by ninety percent of the twenty five related patents. Prof. Katsuhiro Nishinari of the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology of the University of Tokyo has been collaborating with Honda for more than three years. The idea for this technology comes partly from his research (2). He has collaborated in the verification process while the demonstration tests have taken place at the Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI) in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The test result showed that the system improved the average speed by approximately twenty three percent and reduced fuel consumption by approximately eight percent. Moreover, using cloud servers and ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) system, the average speed improved by approximately thirty nine percent and reduced fuel consumption by approximately thirteen percent. The road testing was carried out on the expressways in Italy in May 2012, in collaboration with the University of Milano-Bicocca. The next road test was held in Indonesia in July 2012. Although not official, Honda aims to commercialize the technology in the next three years using a smartphone application, which costs a few euro per month.