Japan expressway operator develops technology to project signs on roads
The Hanshin Expressway Group and Dai Nippon Printing Co. have jointly developed a lighting technology that projects arrows on roads to inform drivers of lane restrictions in an easy-to-understand manner.
The Osaka-based Hanshin Expressway Group plans to test the system at a site operated by the company by the end of this fiscal year, after coordinating with the police and other related organizations.
The new technology utilizes Tokyo-based Dai Nippon Printing’s compact lighting devices that can brightly project arrows and other marks onto road surfaces. The device is about the size of a flashlight, easy to carry and can be attached to a roadside sign.
One advantage of the lighting system is that it is movable. The system can also reduce the burden on workers by decreasing the number of materials required at work sites, such as display boards, compared to conventional methods.
Drivers at night are generally slow to notice signs indicating construction work on expressways and sometimes cause accidents, according to Hanshin Expressway.
“We can improve safety for both drivers and workers [with the new system],” said an official from Hanshin Expressway Engineering Co., a member of the Hanshin Expressway Group that developed the technology.