Nissan demonstrates next-generation collision avoidance technology

Nissan has today been demonstrating its next-generation driver assistance technology, which can help avoid collisions.

The system can see the world in real-time, analyse its surroundings, and interpret when a collision is about to take place so that it can safely work to avoid it.

It uses LIDAR, radar and cameras to detect the shape and size of objects as well as the environment that is being driven through.

As well as helping to stop crashes, the technology can see slow moving traffic and obstacles ahead, performing lane changes to get around them.

Takao Asami, senior vice president, leading global research and development, says: “Nissan has been the first to market a number of advanced driver assistance technologies.

“When we look at the future of autonomous driving, we believe that it is of utmost importance for owners to feel highly confident in the safety of their vehicle.

“We are confident that our in-development ground truth perception technology will make a significant contribution to owner confidence, reduced traffic accidents and autonomous driving in the future.”

Nissan is collaborating with companies that are experts in each aspect of the technology, for example Luminar for LIDAR and Applied Intuition for the collision avoidance software, utilising the latter’s cutting edge simulation systems.

In this case, it is important not only that the technology spots potential dangers, but is able to determine whether they are actually a threat and what action needs to be taken, if any at all.

Nissan’s investment in autonomous driving technologies is part of its Ambition 2030 plan. It sees the development of collision avoidance technology as vital, and expects the technology it has revealed today to be available on cars by the mid-2020s, and virtually every model by 2030.