Nissan Introduces Self-Driving Features in New Models
Today, carmakers are racing to integrate self-driving and semi-autonomous features in the vehicles. And it looks like Nissan is making a break to corner the market. Last month, Nissan announced that a new semi-autonomous system, called ProPilot, would be slowly introduced throughout the line-up, starting with the Serena van that will be released in Japan this year.
ProPilot promises a number of innovations, including the ability to navigate congested roadways and drive the vehicle on single-lane roads. These features enable drivers to sit behind the wheel, while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel – and ProPilot does the rest of the work.
The announcement makes Nissan one of the first automakers to introduce self-driving technology, along with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. Yet, the biggest difference is that Nissan will be one of the most affordable options on the market with this type of technology.
At Daytona Nissan, we’re excited about the news and are looking forward to ProPilot being introduced in the U.S. – which may come as early as late 2016 or early 2017. In addition to being introduced on the Serena, Nissan also said the Qashqai – a version of the Rogue sold overseas – is next in line for ProPilot. Plus, during the next four years, Nissan and partner Renault say 10 vehicles in the lineup will have semi-autonomous features.
ProPilot: Nissan’s Semi-Autonomous Driving System
ProPilot utilizes a hi-definition camera – which comes from Nissan partner ZF TRW Automotive Holdings – that detects moving and stationary objects in the road, as well as lane markings. This camera enables ProPilot to navigate highly trafficked single-lane highways, and the system can accelerate, stop and keep pace with traffic.
Like many semi-autonomous systems, ProPilot has safety checks in place for the driver. The system requires that drivers keep their hands on the wheel. After 10 seconds without touching the wheel, the system alerts drivers, and ultimately, the system disengages if these warnings are ignored.
Nissan’s Self-Driving Vehicle History
In 2013, Nissan announced that they were developing a fully autonomous vehicle that they planned to bring to market by 2020. The vehicle – which is being developed alongside teams at MIT, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon – is still under development, but over the next few years, Nissan will be integrating some of their advances in new vehicles.
After initially offering ProPilot, Nissan says they plan to add additional features slowly. In 2018, for example, Nissan plans to add functions for making autonomous lane changes, before adding autonomous city driving and the ability to traverse intersections by 2020.
One point that Nissan has stressed in their initial rollout of ProPilot: The system is designed to assist drivers – rather than take full control of the wheel. Since autonomous driving is a nascent technology, many drivers are experiencing it for the first time, and Nissan has said that they want to introduce the technology slowly to ensure safety.
What makes this announcement so special, though, is that Nissan plans to aggressively market these technologies at an affordable price point. At this time, only a few vehicles on the market – mostly luxury sedans and SUVs – have the technology, but over the next four years, Nissan wants to take them “mainstream” and mass produce cars and SUVs that are equipped with semi-autonomous features.
The team at Daytona Nissan is excited about these advancements. They’re a prime example of Nissan’s commitment to developing the world’s most advanced vehicles. Look for these features during the rollout of 2017 models and beyond.