JAPAN NEWS


 

Nissan Motor Co.’s 2027 Elgrand large minivan will enable hands-free driving in urban areas by using AI to assess road conditions and other factors.

Overseas manufacturers, such as Tesla in the U.S., have already made strides with similar technologies. By being one of the first Japanese automakers to introduce this feature, Nissan is aiming for a turnaround in the domestic market, where sales have been sluggish.

Nissan’s proprietary driver-assistance technology, ProPILOT, already provides hands-free driving in some models, but its use is limited to certain environments such as highways.

Through a new collaboration with Wayve Technologies Ltd., a British startup specializing in automotive AI, Nissan will incorporate a system where AI predicts driving conditions, thereby enabling hands-free driving even in urban areas.

Following a full model overhaul this summer, the new technology will be introduced to the Elgrand in fiscal 2027.

With other models, such as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Alphard, gaining market share in the minivan segment, Nissan aims to enhance its competitiveness through proprietary technology.