As one of the greatest car producers in the
world, Japan focuses on improving technology of cruise control system. To reach
a goal of practical use of complete cruise control by 2025, Japanese government
considers legal deregulation for developing technology. It is still unsure
whether complete cruise control is achievable in this highly crowded
transportation system in Japan.
National Police Agency announced last month
that it would permit driving test of cruise control on the public roads under
remote control. For the Agency that strictly applies traffic laws, it is
ambitiously unusual to allow unmanned vehicle driving on the road along with
other ordinary cars. “By permitting it based on detailed examinations, we can
expect smooth tests with securing safety,” told the head of NPA, Masayoshi
Sakaguchi. It will be possible for carmakers to apply the test on public roads
as early as this summer.
The Government of Japan regards automobile
cruise control technology as one of the major pillars of economic growth
strategy. With introduction of artificial intelligence into cruise control
system, it hopes to exhibit Japan’s advanced technology in Tokyo Olympic and
Paralympic in 2020. The goal set by them is to operate unmanned bus or taxi
with remote control by 2020 and to run complete cruise controlled vehicle on
the highways by 2025.
Shinzo Abe administration pushes everything
for the success of Tokyo Olympic. To fulfill the goal for cruise control
technology, the permission of test on public roads had to be made within this
year. But, one important problem was how to make the test consistent with
current Road Traffic Law. Road Traffic Law is based on a recognition that the
driver is on the car. After deliberated discussion to meet the requirement of the
success in 2020, NPA decided to regard the person for remote controlling as the
driver.
So, what is happening in an accident? While
the law demands the driver to rescue injured person in an accident, the remote
controller cannot reach the place soon. In the fourth level of cruise control
technology, there will be no operator for remote control. Who will be
responsible for an accident in that case? Carmakers? That must be a nightmare
for them.
The technology is still immature. There
have been six accidents after December 2015, which was caused by relying on
cruise control too much. One case was a collision to a black car, the color which
was less recognizable for the sensor. Actual technology of cruise control is still
on the level of supporting the driver. Nevertheless, the government is in a hurry
in making a showcase of highly advanced society in Tokyo 2020.
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