2018 年 2018 巻 1 号 p. 190-193
Due to the progressive aging of the population in Japan in recent years, ensuring means of transportation in rural areas has become a pressing problem. In the cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), field operational tests (FOTs) have been conducted for automated driving services (ADS) in rural areas where the aging of the population is progressing with particular rapidity, using roadside rest areas (called “Michi no Eki” in Japanese). These tests have been conducted nationwide since September 2017, and tests were performed in 13 locations during FY 2017. The tests are verifying the effects of ADS on road transportation in anticipation of their fully fledged introduction, as well as social acceptance, benefits to the community and so on. The test results verified that ADS could successfully and smoothly navigate even steep winding roads in mountainous areas, even when there was snow on the road. However, the test results also identified issues such as parked vehicles on the road and vehicles coming from the opposite direction. The tests also showed that participants have high expectations of ADS, felt that ADS is considerably reliable, and that the introduction of these services would have a substantial beneficial impact on communities. SIP will continue to work toward the introduction of ADS in rural areas.
