Nissan is set to release new technology to help drivers worried about passing through a red light or being hit by cars shooting out from hidden alleys.

|PIC1|The world's car manufacturers are all developing newer technology on automatic braking and other safety systems to reduce the huge amount of car accidents each year.

Nissan is promoting its technology as different because it takes advantage of sensors already in place to monitor traffic congestion in Japan.

The island nation, with numerous narrow roads is often jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, but has infrared sensors hanging from street poles relaying information to car navigation equipment so drivers can map out the best routes for their journeys.

The new vehicle-alert system from Nissan is still in laboratory stages currently, but it is known that it uses the sensors to detect dangers such as unseen cars suddenly darting out. That information is then beamed into the driver's vehicle.

In a recent demonstration, the car's navigation equipment emitted a beep, then an electronic voice warning, "A car is coming from the left ahead."

Even a picture of the hidden car in the upcoming alleyway was visually shown on the navigation monitor.

The alert system will also issue warnings about upcoming yellow or red lights if the driver isn't showing signs of slowing down. Also in consideration is a system that warns drivers when they enter a school zone.

"Making the driver recognise a situation is an important first step in safety," Nissan General Manager Shunichi Toyomasu said.

However, the release of the new technology is a matter of balance. Toyomasu acknowledged that too many warnings can encourage drivers to simply switch the system off.

Nissan plans to gather data to see whether the technology would contribute to reducing accidents and change driver behaviour. The Tokyo-based automaker said it hopes to offer its vehicle-alert system commercially by 2010.