After visiting the two conferences and then calling home with Net2Phone VoIP (voice over the Internet) from my ThinkPad, I met Megumi Okamoto (Director for the World Expo Unit of IDG Japan, Inc.), who graciously offered to drive me to Yamato for my visit at the IBM Tokyo Research Laboratory. Meg has a very nice bright red compact Audi, complete with a large screen GPS.
Meg told me that nearly all cars in Japan have GPS. (In fact I rode in one that had GPS receivers in both the front and rear seats). A speaker later in the week, Dr. Nakahara of ITS Japan, said that the world should be grateful for the Japanese GPS system because the streets and roads are so complicated in Japan that if the technology can work there, it can work anywhere. The Japanese GPS systems are much more advanced than what we have in the U.S. For example, during Cherry Blossom season, the GPS map has pink flower icons that appear on the screen wherever there are cherry blossoms in bloom. When they are no longer in bloom, the flower icons disappear. To go to a desired destination, you can punch in the phone number, and you will get the directions. As you zoom in on the screen, buildings appear in 3D. If that isn’t enough, you can also connect your cell phone to the GPS display and surf the Net at speeds eight times faster than dial-up.
GPS is not the only car-related difference between Japan and America. In America it is not unusual, although certainly not pervasive, to see a car driver dusting or polishing their car. In Japan it is pervasive and seems a matter of honor. Not just limousines, but everyday taxi cabs. All of the taxi cabs have white lace seat coverings — and GPS. Hanging under the trunk lid you will see cleaning materials. The taxi drivers can open and close the cab door by pulling a lever from their seat. Like all services in Japan, there is no tipping and you have that feeling that the driver was happy to be able to help you get where you wanted to go.
Japanese car and truck drivers are also polite on the road. When merging onto freeways you can observe that “the other driver” always yields. If a truck driver has a cold you can see them in their cab with a white surgical mask to assure they do not spread germs. (Likewise for toll collectors and people walking down the street or riding a bicycle). The automated toll system in Japan is called ETC and it operates like EZPass in the New York – New Jersey – Pennsylvania area except for one difference. You are sure the driver is going to crash through the gate as he speeds toward it, but then the gate flies open. The torque of the motors is incredible.
I took pictures of a few interesting cars and they are in the Japan 2004 – Cars album of the photogallery.
Note: New Jersey now has “Express EZPass” which uses advanced antenna and processing technology which allows cars to pass through the toll without slowing down. This is expected to double the cars per hour that can pass through, thereby reducing congestion. More about that subject later in the week at the IRU World Congress.