Hino Motors, which has long positioned itself as a champion of environmental conservation, showcased its new Hino Drivemaster technology at the 11th World Congress on ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) in Nagoya, Japan, in mid-October. This new technology will help drivers save fuel and reduce environmental damage from exhaust fumes. It also will raise environmental awareness among drivers.

The Hino Drivemaster technology helps drivers save fuel.

The Hino Drivemaster technology is now being offered to fleet owners and drivers. The stand-alone onboard terminal warns a driver when he or she is wasting fuel because of poor driving. The system then generates a driving profile and recommends ways to alter driving habits to improve gas mileage. Hino also exhibited the technology at the Tokyo Motor Show a few weeks later.

This technology was just one of hundreds on display at the ITS conference. One unique aspect of this year’s conference was that its exhibits were open to, and geared toward, the public. In the past, the conference had been open only to professionals in the field.

Organizers explained that the decision to go public with the conference is a natural progression for the ITS industry. Shoichiro Toyoda, the president of ITS Japan and honorary Chairman of Toyota, indicated that a new era in ITS technology is approaching. "We will enter a second stage in which ITS is deeply embedded in our lives," Toyoda said.

Other Technologies

Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Yamaha and DaimlerChrysler also displayed new technologies at the conference. Many of these technologies focused on safety and may take years to develop.

Toyota, for instance, displayed a futuristic system that would prevent drivers from speeding through school zones and stop signs. The system would apply the brakes if it confirmed the presence of a stop sign or school zone. Toyota also presented the "Laser Feeler Driving Support" System, a technology that uses a low-level laser to monitor objects, people or another car’s laser beam. If the system anticipates a collision, it applies the brakes.

Honda offered a hands-on demonstration of a new inter-vehicle networking and communication system designed to prevent crashes by electronically alerting a driver to the position, direction and speed of other vehicles around it. Visitors to the Honda exhibit also had a chance to experiment with Honda’s first collision mitigation brake system already installed on some Acura models.

To promote driving safety, Nissan displayed a prototype vehicle with a new high-speed optical network that transmits data within an automobile at a speed of 400 megabits per second, which is four times the speed of the current standard internal office computer network. The car is fitted with a monitor in the front seat area, which can display up to four images at one time from seven different cameras mounted at the front, side and rear of the vehicle, giving the driver full visibility, including blind spots. Another aspect of the optical network is that it allows for a rear seat monitor showing DVD images for the entertainment of passengers.

At the show, Yamaha also exhibited safety cameras that keep track of objects in the rear.