Thread by @jpr007

Nissan Motor will equip all future vehicles with basic automated driving functions, aiming to release more than 20 such models by fiscal 2023

The technology will enable Nissan's more expensive models to be operated hands-free on the highway
asia.nikkei.com/Business/Autom…

Low to midprice cars will be able to track vehicles in front of them

To make this happen Nissan will have to navigate complex safety issues as advanced automated driving systems will put the car itself in charge of most of the vehicle's operation

The Japanese automaker plans to use its cars' operational data to develop more advanced functions

It will therefore place priority on encouraging wide takeup of the technology

Nissan will release more than 20 models worldwide with self-driving functions, hoping to sell 1.5 million such vehicles a year by fiscal 2023

Countries and regions without the necessary highway infrastructure will be excluded

The carmaker introduced its ProPilot 1 technology on some models in 2016

This allows cars to automatically follow the vehicle ahead during highway driving

Last fall, Nissan rolled out a new Skyline sports car equipped with updated ProPilot 2.0 technology

This offers the world's first driver assistance system combining highway navigation with hands-free driving capabilities

Its new electric vehicle Ariya, scheduled for release next year, and other higher priced cars will be equipped with ProPilot 2.0 while less expensive models will have the first-generation technology as standard equipment

Along with the new driver assistance system, Nissan is also developing image processing technology with the help of Israeli autonomous driving startup Mobileye

This recognizes the vehicle's position as well as that of surrounding cars

The auto industry classifies autonomous driving technology into five levels, with Nissan's ProPilot technology considered level 1 or 2

At this level a human driver is still the car's main operator

Waymo, the U.S.-based unit of Google parent Alphabet, and Uber Technologies are moving ahead with development of level 3 autonomous driving despite being unable to guarantee its safety as yet

Level 2 automated driving includes a number of driver assistance functions, such as steering, acceleration, and braking, which it can perform automatically in specified situations

Level 3 automation systems can make their own decisions according to changing conditions, but require a human driver to be able to take control of the vehicle at any time

Nissan has decided to install a simplified version of the new system as a standard feature, believing this will help it collect data and lower the cost of components

Rival Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor has installed automatic tracking technology in 60% to 70% of its vehicles sold in Japan

It will equip its Lexus LS luxury sedan, scheduled for release later this year, with hands-free driving technology as optional equipment

Tesla's less expensive Model 3 vehicle will also have automatic tracking and lane-keeping functions as standard equipment

More advanced features will be optional

According to a research company, self-driving cars with level 1 or higher functions will be found in 80% of all cars sold by 2030

In 2018 the technology was present in only 20% of new cars

However even by 2030 most cars will still be equipped only with level 1 or 2 automated driving technology