http://www.its-jp.org/english/
In contemporary society, automobiles play an indispensable role in transporting people and goods. However, a variety of problems – traffic accidents, traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and massive consumption of fossil fuels, to name a few – are becoming serious global problems and critical issues for all humankind. These are issues that require fundamental solutions.
To deal with them, across the world research and development is underway into systems that link road infrastructure and telecommunications using computers, electronics, and advanced sensing technologies.
The concept is called the intelligent transport systems (ITS). In the near future, ITS systems will arrive that offer fundamental breakthroughs in safety, congestion reduction, driving comfort, and environmental friendliness, bringing them to levels far higher than those provided by current road transportation systems.
ITS will involve the building of much new system infrastructure and foster demand for many types of terminal equipment, thus it is certain to create a huge market. To take advantage of these promising opportunities, Large investments have been made in national projects in Europe and North America to promote the early realization of ITS.
A flurry of activity is unfolding based on close links among government, industry, and academia : in Europe, ERTICO, and in the United States, ITS America have been established as parent bodies their promote ITS development. These events reflect a global consensus that ITS will be key to the innovative road transportation systems of the future.
The Vehicle, Road and Traffic Intelligence Society (VERTIS(2)) was launched in January 1994 as Japan’s response to these developments in Europe and North America, and it enjoys the full backing of National Police Agency, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Posts &Telecommunications, and Ministry of Construction(1).
