Toyota Tsusho recently began operating a newly developed ITS (intelligent transport system) smart pole at the traffic junction of Showamachi 1-chome in Toyota City.
The multi-function utility pole – equipped with cameras and sensors – are designed to detect cars and people in the vicinity.
Although the number of traffic accidents in Toyota City has been going down, it has the highest number of traffic deaths in 2019 and 2020 within Aichi Prefecture, when Nagoya City is not taken into account.
“We want to strive for the elimination of traffic casualties and contribute to the creation of a safe and comfortable mobility society,” said the company in a press statement, which explained its participation in the smart pole project.
The ITS Smart Pole installed at the complicated traffic junction detects, in real time, approaching pedestrians and vehicles. It uses LED signboards to visually draw the attention of those who are approaching the junction without the right-of-way.
This is the first installation of the ITS (Intelligent Transport System) Smart Pole using LED signboards in Japan.
The project is a collaboration among Toyota City, Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Transportation Research Institute, and Toyota Mobility Foundation. It is a part of wider Operation Zero Accident, a public-private collaboration project being promoted for the purpose of reducing fatal traffic accidents.