As Japan faces an ever-increasing number of elderly drivers, authorities want new safety systems to help prevent accidents from cars travelling in the wrong direction towards oncoming traffic.
The Japanese Government has called on the industry to develop new safety technology to help combat motorists driving in the wrong direction on freeways.
According to local news outlet Nikkan Jodosha Shimbun, Japan’s Ministry of Transport wants to use a combination of available technologies to stop cars from driving the wrong way on major roads – while also warning other drivers who are in danger.
The technology could combine in-car satellite navigation, smartphones, roadside systems, and CCTV to identify cars travelling in the wrong direction.
Japan’s ageing population – and its proud culture of cars and driving – has meant serious road accidents by elderly drivers have been on the rise in recent years, as a percentage of total fatalities.
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According to Nippon, road fatalities involving those aged 65 or older now account for almost 55 per cent of all traffic deaths.
However, road-related fatalities overall have dropped considerably over the past two decades – from more than 5000 in 2008, to fewer than 3000 between 2000 and 2023.
Japan’s automotive and technology industries have been called on by authorities to create and implement the safety system in the coming years.
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