Nissan Takes Autonomous Driving for a Spin on Tokyo Streets

Nissan has showcased a prototype of its autonomous driving technology, which is set to be used on real roads starting in 2020, by conducting a test drive in Tokyo.

The car they tested was a modified Infiniti Q50 sports sedan, equipped with the next-generation ProPilot technology. This allows the car to drive itself on both city streets and highways, from the moment the driver picks a destination in the navigation system until they arrive.

The prototype’s artificial intelligence gets input from an array of sensors and cameras: 12 sonars, 12 cameras, nine millimeter-wave radars, six laser scanners, and a high-definition map. These tools work together to analyze complex situations in real time, helping the car smoothly navigate through tough city conditions like busy intersections. The hardware upgrades, coupled with improved software, ensure that the car can handle obstacles in the road gently, making the ride feel more like it’s being driven by a human, which is reassuring for passengers.

“Innovation is central to everything we do at Nissan,” said Takao Asami, Nissan’s senior vice president of research and advanced engineering. “Our next-generation ProPilot prototype is a glimpse of the technology that will become available in 2020. This demonstration is another step forward in our mission to make autonomous driving accessible to everyone.”

This showcase comes after the recent release of the zero-emission Nissan Leaf, which features ProPilot technology for single-lane autonomous driving on highways. Nissan’s lineup of cars with ProPilot capabilities is expanding and already includes models like the Nissan Serena, X-Trail, and Rogue. In 2018, the Qashqai will also join this lineup.