Car navigation systems, which were first released in Japan in 1981, have now entered a phase of full-scale diffusion, owing to rapid advances in information technology, improvement of performance and reduction of equipment prices. Telematics services have also overcome various issues since they were first launched and, like car navigation services, they are now taking root as indispensable aids to drivers. Through the addition of communications functionality to car navigation units, telematics services facilitate exchanges of information with the outside world. In the coming years, it is expected that the functionality of car navigation systems will be used to transmit to drivers information obtained by vehicle-mounted sensors concerning the circumstances around vehicles. That capability will go beyond a simple communications function to contribute substantially to safety, peace of mind and support for eco-driving, among other improvements. This paper describes the latest trends in driver information services in Japan, the directions envisioned for these services in the future, and issues that will need to be addressed to facilitate further development.
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