Navitime Japan launches near-miss hazard sharing for bus navigation

Navitime Japan has launched new features for its bus-specific navigation app, ‘Bus Car Navi’, and its itinerary creation tool, ‘Kouteihyo Cloud by NAVITIME’, designed to share near-miss information among bus operators.

The update introduces a ‘Field Report Function’ in the navigation app, allowing drivers to post real-time hazard information—such as sharp curves, narrow roads, or difficult parking areas—along with precise location data. When drivers select the ‘public’ option, this information is shared with all users of both platforms.

To support this, the ‘Navigation Customization Function’ has been added to the itinerary tool. This allows the system to provide auditory warnings and visual alerts on the car navigation screen based on the reported field data. This system aims to prevent accidents by providing real-time warnings during transit and helping travel agencies and bus operators plan safer routes using collective industry safety knowledge.