Nissan working on next-gen collision-avoidance tech for city driving
What's the story
Nissan has begun testing a new driver-assistance system, using technology from British start-up Wayve. The Japanese automaker plans to launch this innovative system in Japan during the 2027 financial year. Earlier this month, Nissan showcased the new system in Tokyo on its Ariya electric vehicles, which come with advanced collision avoidance features for urban driving.
Challenges
Prototypes have 11 cameras, 5 radars, and LiDAR
Urban driving poses unique challenges for driver-assistance systems, as compared to highway driving. This is mainly due to the presence of pedestrians, parked cars, and delivery workers in city streets. The prototype vehicles tested by Nissan are equipped with 11 cameras, five radars, and one LiDAR sensor. They offer Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities that require drivers to be ready to take over control at any moment.
Tech integration
Wayve's tech marks important step in autonomous driving evolution
Wayve, a start-up backed by SoftBank Group and NVIDIA, opened a testing and development center in Japan earlier this year. The integration of Wayve's tech into Nissan's vehicles marks an important step in the evolution of autonomous driving systems. Notably, Nissan had launched its ProPilot system back in 2016 and introduced a second-generation version for highway driving in 2019.