Renesas tests commercial transport system in China

Renesas provided the Wave terminal platform that implements the new wireless Wave communication technology.

There are currently many efforts under way globally to implement ITS services that connect vehicles and the roads they drive on with a network to resolve road and transportation problems such as traffic jams and road accidents.

High-capacity data communication between vehicles (car to car) and between traffic signal equipment, road information management systems and other roads/vehicles (road to car) are required to implement ITS services such as ETC, GPS for car navigation systems, safe driving support systems and public transportation management services.

Since last year, at locations around the world, there have been a number of efforts to promote ITS verification testing aimed at the practical implementation of ITS using the Wave technology.

Wave can implement in real time the high-speed/high-capacity communication required for image transmission and is regarded as the next-generation wireless technology capable of supporting car-to-car and road-to-car connections.

Now, a Wave verification test has been carried out in Changchun City using Wave terminals located in three public buses, eight bus stops and an intersection on the main street that connects Changchun station with the Changchun municipal government.

This is the first time that such a test has been carried out using public buses that were actually operated commercially, with bus stops on an ordinary street used for the bus route.

Renesas's Wave terminals were installed in the buses, at bus stops and at intersections, where information, including image information acquired with cameras at the various sites, was exchanged between the Wave terminals.

The scenes at the intersections were projected on the monitor within the bus next to the driver's seat and the bus driver was able to determine the state of traffic congestion.

Similarly, by showing the scene inside the bus to the Changchun Transit Authority (CTA), it could see the degree of crowding as well as using the information for crime prevention.

By collecting this terminal data and acquiring bus position information in real time, it will be possible for the CTA to estimate the bus arrival times and to achieve stable bus operations control by optimising the bus arrival intervals.

Renesas developed a Wave evaluation system in 2008 and has participated in ITS verification testing at many locations.

The Chinese government has been promoting the construction of ITS infrastructure in the major cities and Changchun City has been developing its ITS infrastructure since 2007.

Changchun City is the home of the First Automobile Works Group, a car manufacturer in China.

Here, Renesas, partnering with FAW Qiming Information Technology Co, which is part of the First Automobile Works Group in Changchun, has been participating in ITS infrastructure construction planning since June 2007.

Renesas and Changchun National Optoelectronics Industry Base Development co-hosted this current test with the support of the Changchun Bureau of Industry and Information along with the Changchun Public Transport Group and the Changchun Information Center for building the verification test infrastructure system.

Renesas provided the Wave platform integrating Wave technology and related software, including software for the bus control system.

The company confirmed from the results of the verification test that Wave technology can be applied to the safety monitoring of roads and public transportation systems.

The results can also be applied to traffic control systems, traffic information service systems and safety driving assist at intersections and public transportation systems.

Renesas will provide an ITS terminal platform system with key devices and technological support to Changchun City, which is aiming at full deployment of a Wave system.