Today, 16.5 percent of the United States' population is 60 or older. The first of the baby boom generation has already turned 50 - another boomer turns 50 every seven seconds. Over the next 30 years, nearly 25 percent of the American population will be over 60 years old, nearly doubling the number of older adults. France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the other members of the European Union, for example, are facing major demographic shifts in the age of their population - Japan alone will have the age profile of Florida in less than five years. Diminished physical and cognitive function associated with parts of the natural aging process may combine to limit a person's driving ability. The rapidly growing number of older drivers presents a unique set of market opportunities for ITS applications that extend safe mobility of older adults. The authors examine the older adult ITS market - its scope, demands and prospects. However, they caution that ITS should not be viewed as a panacea; rather, it is an important part of the transportation continuum that facilitates lifelong mobility as we age. (A)
Samenvatting