ITS Enriches Automotive Technology

ITS is moving automotive technology in two directions. One is evolution in the form of computerization of the automobile. The automobile is beginning to develop a brain of its own and acquire intelligence. It eventually will be able to establish relations with man expanding into mental and emotion dimensions. In view of such expectations, man-vehicle system technology is expected to become all the more important in the future and to examine into the mental and emotional aspects of man.

The other direction in automotive technology is growth as system technology. The automobile as it was viewed in the past was single, independent machines controlled by free will of its driver. In ITS, road transportation system is regarded a system consisting of vehicles, drivers, pedestrians, road network, traffic signals, communication system, and various other elements integrated firmly with each other. The automobile becomes just one element in a larger system framework. It is for this reason that automotive technology evolves and expands into system technology.