DEBUT: Safety technology is a world first
Mazda are set to trial a world-unique safety system enabling vehicles and trams to communicate with one another and help prevent fatal accidents.
A world first, the system communicates using 700MHz radio waves, allowing cars and trams to share data including the type and location of a vehicle, the direction of travel, and braking and turn signal information.
Mazda will also begin testing their Mazda6 ASV-5 (Advanced Safety Vehicle) on public roads in Japan.
The ASV-5 sedan is equipped with autonomous millimetre wave and microwave sensors, as well as cameras to monitor its surroundings and keep track of pedestrians, road markings, other vehicles and trams.
Trials will be conducted on the streets of Hiroshima, where trams carry 150,000 people daily and, as in many European cities, represent a vital public transportation link.
The innovative technology was developed by a consortium made up of Mazda, the University of Tokyo, Hiroshima Electric Railway Co. and Japan’s National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory.
Mazda claim such safety drives mirror the spirit behind Mazda Proactive Safety, the company’s philosophy to minimise accident risk.
The technology is the basis for the company’s i-ACTIVSENSE range of sensor-based active safety technology.
Available on the Mazda6, Mazda CX-5 and the all-new Mazda3, i-ACTIVSENSE systems support drivers with recognising and responding to potential dangers, helping prevent accidents and reduce the severity if one occurs.
