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Mitsubishi Motors Corporation began to research and develop technology
for the Advanced Safety Vehicle (ASV) Project in 1991. Work to date has
centered on making vehicles "smarter" with the objective of realizing
a substantial improvement in vehicle safety. In Stage 2(*1) of the project,
the company will be advancing the practical application of technology
developed during Stage 1(*2) and, in addition, will start to focus on
research, development and the practical application of advanced safety
technology for trucks and buses.
Mitsubishi Motors has been a participant of the Ministry
of Transport's "ASV Project: Stage 1" from the very beginning, and has
worked actively to develop advanced safety technology from an all-encompassing
viewpoint that includes driver, vehicle and the road environment.
The company's work done to date has produced several
material results including the completion of two ASVs that embody a wide
spectrum of advanced technologies: the Active Safety ASV concentrates
on accident avoidance technologies while the Passive Safety ASV concentrates
on crash injury and damage mitigation technologies. Some of these technologies
have already been incorporated in current production models and include:
the Preview Distance Control system in the Diamante; AYC(*3) and ASC(*4)
adaptive handling systems and the RISE(*5) safety body in the new Galant
/ Legnum series; and the MDAS(*6) attention-monitoring system in the Super
Great heavy-duty truck.
*1. 1996--2000
*2. 1991--1995
*3. Active Yaw Control
*4. Active Stability Control
*5. Realized Impact Safety Evolution
*6. Mitsubishi Drever's Attention Monitoring System
In addition to promoting the application of the advanced
technology developed in Stage 1 of the project, the company will research
and develop Fully Automatic Vehicle Operation technology and Basic Vehicle
Technology. The company will also initiate a similar R&D program in the
area of advanced technology for trucks and buses. Program details for
Stage 2 of the ASV Project are as follows:
Active Safety Technology (Display of information;
Alerting driver; Easing load on driver)
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Driver Alertness Warning System: Monitors driver alertness
level and emits audible warning when system detects he is becoming
drowsy.
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Perimeter Monitoring System: Predicts and warns the
driver of imminent danger by monitoring distance and relative speed
of vehicles in front, behind and to the side of his own vehicle.
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Advanced Information System: Displays, in an easy-to-understand
manner, information relating to the vehicle, the road environment
and to the driver himself as required for the safe operation of vehicle.
Accident Avoidance Technology
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Dynamic Performance Enhancement System: Optimally regulates
and tailors drive torque and braking effort to road surface and other
driving conditions.
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Road Environment Information Accident Avoidance System:
Automatically controls vehicle operation by estimating critical speed
limit for entering corners, and by detecting abnormalities in the
road ahead.
Fully Automatic Vehicle Operation Technology
Passive Safety Technology (Protection of occupants;
mitigation of injury to pedestrians)
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Enhanced Safety Body Construction: Restricts deformation
of the passenger cabin in a variety of crash modes, and also lessens
the potential of the vehicle to inflict damage.
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Occupant Protection System: Detects presence of occupants
in vehicle and deploys airbags as required in the event of a crash.
Damage Containment Technology
Cornerstone Technology
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