Development of an Advanced Cruise-Assist System in Japan is primarily intended to achieve a substantial reduction in the number of traffic accidents, which amount to nearly 10,000 fatalities and one million injuries annually in Japan. Achieving this goal is one of the most crucial challenges for Japan's transportation policy makers. Thus an ambitious research and development program is proposed that will lead to empirical testing in the year 2000 and initial deployment in 2003. To attain this goal, it will be necessary to develop within a short period of time an advanced cruise-assist system that is highly effective and socially acceptable. The system will be supported by both an "evolutionary process" and requirements. An "evolutionary process" refers to the way in which deployment of a system into a society is progressively upgraded as drivers become more skillful and the effects of the system become more profound in a shorter time. Requirements are the required performance of functions necessary to incorporate social needs into the system development. In other words, they serve as a critical link between social needs and development of a system. This paper provides an overview of the research and development of the Advanced Cruise-Assist System in Japan, specifically identifying goals, milestones, the "evolutionary process" and requirements for the system. (A*)
Abstract