Development status of AHS key technologies

Key technologies for AHS (Advanced cruise-Assist Highway system), such as i) cruising vehicles/obstacles monitoring sensors, ii) road surface condition monitoring sensors, iii) information processing for safety and comfortable cruising, iv) vehicle position detection and v) road-to-vehicle communication system, have been studied in depth. State-of-the-art sensors and sensing algorithm make possible to detect an individual vehicle position and its speed on the highway and obstacles sized 10-30 cm. Four state of the road surface, dry, wet, snowy and icy, are identified. Lane marker system for vehicle positioning has 50-mm accuracy. Both way communications between roadside and 50 vehicles at a time will be realized in the very near future.