Japanese company Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd exhibited its new technology at the Wireless Japan 2008 conference. Oki presented the prototype of a cell phone equipped with a DSRC-based automotive communication device (DSRC is a standard for inter-vehicle communications). The cell phone will be carried by pedestrians since it can issue alerts when they come too close with a vehicle also fitted with a DSRC device.

The nature of the alert wasn't mentioned, although it would be ideal if it's a combination of audible and vibrating alarms which would make it useful to the differently-abled. I believe the system itself would only work if all running vehicles are equipped with DSRC devices. The Oki DSRC-equipped cell phone consumes 10mW of energy and has a 100m communication distance. Aside from its main feature, it also has GPS functionality.