'Mazda6 ASV-5' Advanced Safety Vehicle Begins Trials in Japan

HIROSHIMA, JAPAN –Sept 3, 2013: Mazda Motor Corporation will begin testing its advanced safety vehicle, the Mazda6 ASV-5, on public roads from September 2013.

The vehicle will be used to test a driving safety support system which utilises intelligent transport systems (ITS) jointly developed by industrial, academic and government organisations.

The car will also take part in the 20th ITS World Congress Tokyo 2013 in October and demonstrate a futuristic safety system that will see trams and automobiles communicating with each other on the streets of Hiroshima.

The 20th ITS World Congress Tokyo 2013 runs from Monday, October 14, through Friday, October 18.

The event features an exhibition of advanced safety technologies and sessions on a wide range of topics with participants and speakers coming from all over the world. There are also a number of showcase demonstrations, including one held in Hiroshima from October 20 to 21, showcasing the world’s first safety system that utilises tram-to-vehicle communication technology.

Used by approximately 150,000 people daily, trams form an essential component of Hiroshima’s public transportation system.

The new safety system enables communication between trams and automobiles equipped with an autonomous sensor.

The trial is aimed at verifying the system’s ability to prevent collisions and support smooth and safe driving. The system was developed and is being tested by the Hiroshima ITS Research Unit with sponsorship from the Hiroshima ITS Public Road Test Consortium.

There is renewed interest in trams globally as a form of eco-friendly public transport, and improving technology is also reducing the impact that private automobiles have on the environment. This experiment advances collaborative research aimed at establishing a safe transportation system that makes the most of the advantages of both rail and vehicular transport.

At Mazda, research and development of safety technologies is based upon the company's safety philosophy, Mazda Proactive Safety, which aims to minimise the risk of an accident by maximising the range of conditions in which the driver can safely operate the vehicle.

Mazda is committed to the continued development of advanced safety technologies through a variety of approaches, including this ITS verification test and its own independent development process which recently produced i-ACTIVSENSE. In addition to supporting the driver in recognising and judging hazards in a variety of driving situations, the i-ACTIVSENSE range of advanced safety technologies helps to avoid accidents and reduce the resulting damage when they do occur.