Toyota to offer new next generation
Telematics service aiming at widespread use
Internet ITS as an ITS intelligence infrastructure
Communicating with vehicles through the network

The promotion of the development of Japan's Intelligent Transport System (ITS) began in 1995 as a national project. In 1996, "the whole concept of the ITS promotion" was developed in which 9 development fields were established as follows:
(1) Advanced navigation system
(2) Automated toll-collection
(3) Support for safe driving
(4) Optimized traffic management
(5) Efficient road management
(6) Support for public transportation
(7) Greater efficiency of commercial vehicles
(8) Pedestrian support
(9) Support for emergency vehicle access
As a part of this promotion, the Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) and Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) have already been established for practical use. It was the first time in the world that VICS became commercially practical and the nationwide commercialization of ETC is being achieved. In addition, business entities under the leadership of automobile manufacturers have also implemented technology commercialization which consists of each ITS component one after another.

■Toyota Activities on ITS

While many of the activities have been under development, there is also a new move afoot in ITS development. This concerns a move toward aggressively capitalizing on mobile communication and information technology in which the technical progress of high-speed high-capacity is urgently required in order to accelerate ITS development. A significant step was that Japan adopted an e-Japan strategy that was commenced in 2001 to achieve the goal of becoming one of the world's information technology (IT) superpowers within the next 5 years. It expresses "accomplishment of the high-speed internet on ITS" as one of the key points.

A demonstration test to establish the Internet as the ITS intelligence infrastructure has already been carried out as a project of the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry through a joint effort between Keio University, Toyota Motor, Denso Corporation and NEC Corporation. This attempt was called Internet ITS. In 2002, the Internet ITS conference was organized to give opportunities for development, commercialization and standardization of technology as well as new business incubation and drawing a scenario to develop Internet ITS as a public infrastructure.

Serving as a backdrop to this movement is the progress of upgrading technologies usable for ITS including shifting to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and furthering the standardization of mobile communication technology (Mobile IPv6). Shifting to IPv6 allows for a virtually unlimited number of assignable addresses, which enables these addresses to be assigned to a vehicle-mounted control computer presently consisting of about 60 elements per vehicle and to each household electrical appliance if required. This is also a premise of the so-called Ubiquitous society desired by Toyota in its "2010 Global Vision".

In addition, postulates of the Internet ITS commercialization are fully established, which is also essential. They include the followings:
(1) As many as 10 million units of car navigation systems usable as vehicle-mounted information terminals have already become ubiquitous in Japan.
(2) The widespread use of mobile phones and Personal Handyphone Systems (PHS) has reached the level of 76.4 million units as of June 2002.
(3) Car electronization has become more advanced.

The most remarkable change is that many pieces of equipment such as specific devices, media, protocol and gateway previously designed for the ITS system are no longer necessary due to the establishment of a common platform for ITS data processing. However, Internet ITS itself is not an independent service. For example, the telematics service having been only available for automobile manufacturers or related companies is now likely to become available for any company to use. At least some specific technologies for creating contents provided by the telematics service will no longer be required.

Therefore, the cost of ITS consisting of the telematics service and others will be reduced. The higher service level results in more subscribers and eventually more companies to enter into the telematics service business. Furthermore, data processing capacity and interactivity are significantly enhanced, which brings higher possibilities to reliably maintain safety and to grasp the traffic flow while driving. On the other hand, each vehicle will be able to manage its operating and running conditions more precisely.

■A vehicle-mounted communications module, Toyota's "G-BOOK" service in preparation for the next generation

In August 2002, Toyota released that new information network service "G-BOOK" will be launched in October. This system is in anticipation of entering the new age of Internet ITS in the telematics service field and a main feature of this system is a vehicle-mounted communication module.

According to the news release, a seamless system has been established which regardless of time and place provides access through not only vehicle-installed terminals but also PCs, Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), mobile phones or the like and can execute coordinated functions between terminals (for example, grasping vehicle conditions including location and distance traveled through mobile phones). The system is not get significantly interfered with when driving through tunnels. Remote operation of household electrical appliances and home security systems from vehicles will be possible in the future.

An environment for content creation is also scheduled to be provided as a part of the system so a wide range of business entities with different types of industries can enter into the contents service business and the variety and combined service grown from these lines will be developed. In the core of the network or the information center, a separate server corresponding to each G-BOOK subscriber can be prepared and service to meet the members' respective needs is also to be provided.

■Toyota "G-BOOK" System Service, on the Forefront of Internet ITS

■The possible rapid widespread use of the new service on a flat monthly rate with communication charge included

Toyota announced its policy that factory-installed navigation systems in the second half of 2003 and after would be the "G-BOOK" compatible navigation system as standard equipment for future development. According to Toyota's outlook, the installation rate of car navigation systems in new cars will reach 50% in 2003 in which factory-installed rate and dealer-installed rate account for 35% and 15% respectively (in terms of passenger cars). Incidentally, Toyota's domestic sales volume for passenger cars per year was 1.71 million units in FY 2001. Whether or not the system becomes ubiquitous depends on how much the users are charged for service utilization. This information has not yet been announced. However, it is said that the set charge will be a fixed rate with communication charge included and must be much lower than the conventional charge for the telematics services provided by each automobile manufacturer or related company (less than 1,000 yen per month according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun).

Honda also announced on the day following Toyota's announcement that a new information network service called "inter-navi premium club" would be launched in the fall of 2002. This provides the same mobile phone type service as before, while further focusing on customer convenience while driving by means of voice recognition and the providing of more detailed information.

Prior to Toyota and Honda, Nissan had already launched the new telematics service known as "Car Wings" for the new March model in February 2002. The "communication function" feature of this service allows a driver to inform friends, family and others of the vehicle's location through their mobiles and PCs.

■New Information Network Service of Toyota Honda and Nissan

■Honda's new information network service only focusing on driving support

Honda aims to achieve a 30% level in factory-mounted navigation systems through extending the application of car navigation systems that are compatible with the new information network service to almost all types of vehicles excluding mini-cars by 2004. Honda has announced that service utilization will be on a free-of-charge basis for the 3 years following new-car registration.

Voice operation/audio assist through a voice recognition function is wholly employed in the navigation system in order to obtain useful information while focusing on driving. The car navigation system can provide voice operation of the air conditioner and audio products, voice message and hands-free calling as well as other basic operations. It contributes to safety improvement through preventive functions such as to detect weaving and to assist driving by giving prior notice of curves in the road. It is also said that the performance of the information platform has been enhanced by various measures in order to reduce purchasing costs for connection devices. These measures include extensive compliance with the main models of mobile phones from each mobile phone company, incorporating a communication modem and expanding the range of functions for the information terminal.

■Honda and NTT Cooperatively Develop a Next Generation Automobile Information System

■Nissan considers introduction of the Toyota-type telematics service jointly with NTT DoCoMo

Nissan, which launched its "Car Wings" service in February 2002, has announced the joint research of the telematics service with NTT DoCoMo just after the first launch. Toyota has offered a set charge for service utilization in conjunction with KDDI and the innovative system specification by which a vehicle-mounted communication module and seamless connection have been achieved. Regardless of whether or not the system provided by Nissan can be as competitive as those which Toyota has offered, Nissan has been targeting the development of the contents of service towards the same orientation as the Toyota-type telematics service.

■Nissan and NTT DoCoMo Agree to Jointly Study Telematics Services (February, 2002)