InfoWorld's John Balu reports today that Japan's OKI Electric Industry Co. is testing a new Safety Mobile Phone system "that could help pedestrians avoid being hit by vehicles."

"In the OKI test, pedestrians use mobile phones with an integrated DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) module, while vehicles are equipped with communication systems embedded with the same technology, as well as GPS (Global Positioning System)," Balu writes. "The pedestrians and vehicles create a DSRC wireless communications area, which has a radius per device of several hundred meters. ... When a pedestrian device and vehicle device come close and the received power from each device exceeds a specific value that indicates a high possibility of a collision, the devices warn their users. Pedestrians are warned through the vibration function on their phones, while drivers receive voice guidance from their vehicle communications system."

Somehow, if I'm about to be hit by a car, a vibrating mobile phone doesn't sound like the best way to get me to leap out of the way... maybe an electric shock? Or a really, REALLY loud ringtone?

More here from iTWire ... more here from Zee News ... more here from Mobility Today ... more here from I4U News ... more here from SlashPhone ... and the press release is here.