Automotive Engineer

Honda has developed a system that detects the potential for traffic congestion and can determine whether the driving pattern of vehicles is likely to create traffic jams. The system can then indicate to the driver whether to accelerate or decelerate to improve traffic flow.

Honda's research in conjunction with the research centre for advanced science and technology at the University of Tokyo showed that the acceleration and deceleration behaviour of one vehicle influences the traffic pattern of trailing vehicles and can trigger traffic congestion.

Honda said: “Rather than providing information to help the driver avoid existing congestion based on current traffic information, the system monitors the acceleration and deceleration patterns of the vehicle to determine whether the driver's driving pattern is likely to create traffic congestion. Based on this determination, the system provides the driver with appropriate information, including a colour-coded display through the on-board terminal, to encourage smooth driving which will help alleviate the intensity of acceleration and deceleration by trailing vehicles, thereby helping to prevent or minimise the occurrence of vehicle congestion.”

Honda also hopes that the technology could aide safety, improve fuel efficiency and decrease CO2 emissions.

“Congestion causes not only a delay in arrival time but also an increase in CO2 emissions and a higher potential for rear-end collisions. Initial test results demonstrated that the system helped increase the average speed by approximately 23% and improved fuel efficiency by approximately 8% of trailing vehicles,” said the OEM.

Honda will begin testing the technology in Italy and Indonesia to further prove the technology's effectiveness in minimising vehicle congestion before development of the system moves to series production.