The Automotive Safety Research Department contributes to the realization of a safe and secure society by reducing safety risks in motor vehicle traffic. This is achieved by developing future safety regulations and technology evaluation methods in response to increasingly sophisticated and complex new technologies such as automated driving systems on the one hand, and by conducting research on motor vehicle safety from the perspective of drivers and pedestrians on the other.
To reduce the number of casualties in traffic accidents, we conduct various surveys and research on topics such as passive safety for collision avoidance and mitigation, active safety for accident prevention, etc.
We also propose improvements in methods for inspection, maintenance, and periodic technical inspection (PTI), etc. in response to new technologies. 

Passive Safety

When a collision occurs between vehicles or between a vehicle and a pedestrian, the impact on people must be minimized. This is called passive safety, and efforts are focused on the vehicle side, including supplemental restraint systems such as airbags and crushable structures that make the vehicle body easier to crush. To enhance the passive safety of motor vehicles, the Department is engaged in research to develop evaluation testing methods, regulations, and guidelines for vehicle technologies related to passive safety.