Abstract
Technological innovations including the intelligent transportation system (ITS) has shifted the focus of the automotive safety issue from the vehicle per se to the interacting system of humans, vehicles and traffic environment. The safety technology now addresses human perception and judgment in order to prevent human errors in driving. This requires basic understanding of the communication of the driver with the vehicle and environment. Nissan Cambridge Basic Research (NCB) was established in July 1993 for basic research in perception science, the first of its kind in the automotive industry. This paper discusses its unique research management. Innovative technologies often require guidelines provided by basic science instead of existing examples. Complementarily interacting science and technology in CBR will provide a promising model of outsourcing in the technological development in the next century.
