Proving Tests for Forward Obstacle Information Provision Service Using the ETC-ID System

The Forward Obstacles Information Provision Service is one of the Next-generation road services, or ‘Smartway’ now being developed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in Japan. Roadside sensors detect anomalous events such as the tail end of congestion or stopped vehicles on the road ahead, and information such as an alert warning in audio or images will be provided to following vehicles through car navigation systems. We have designed the ETC-ID Method, which can be adapted at a lower cost than using conventional image sensors, as detecting method of anomalous events for this service. The ETC-ID Method is that anomalous events can be detected based on uplinked IDs of ETC on-board units. We conducted the proving tests of Forward Obstacle Information Provision Service using the ETC-ID Method on road, confirmed the effectiveness and acceptability of this service and the performance of anomalous events detection and clarified challenges of this method. This is a report on the analysis of issues, the resolution measures of these issues, proving test of Forward Obstacle Information Provision Service using the ETC-ID Method improved by these resolution measures and evaluation of the proving tests.