Nissan recently unveiled the first prototype of its autonomous technology, installed in the Nissan Leaf. Called Piloted Drive 1.0, it allows the car to overtake vehicles, change lanes and merge in and out of highways. It’s part of the brand’s overall Intelligent Driving technology, Automotive News reports.
Designed in a way that makes “occupants feel as though they were in the hands of a skilled driver,” the Leaf is fitted with five radar sensors, 12 cameras, four new laser scanners and ultrasonic sensors. The prototype enables it to travel through heavy traffic on highways on its own. Nissan targets to have this self-driving highway technology in the market by the end of 2016.
Developed by Nissan, the laser scanners are said to be able to determine distance between vehicles, enabling cars to manoeuvre itself in and out of tight spaces. In addition to that, it features a new eight-way 360 degree camera to provides the vehicle with routing info.
The Piloted Drive 1.0 system has a Manual Drive mode, which lets the driver get back behind the wheel to control the vehicle. Also, a new driver interface is featured in the prototype, including a heads-up display and a centre cluster that gives drivers a 360 degree view of the car’s surroundings when it’s in Piloted Drive mode.
Nissan expects to roll out its autonomous cars by 2020. The brand, however, will be exhibiting a new autonomous electric vehicle at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, so we might get a closer look at its Intelligent Driving autonomous technology as a whole there.
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