Nissan Launches 2nd-Gen Semi-Autonomous Tech

Nissan Motor Co. is launching an updated version of the company’s ProPilot semi-autonomous highway driving technology on the 2020 Skyline sedan in Japan.

ProPilot 2.0 system can automatically change lanes to pass slower vehicles during highway driving. But, per Japanese laws, drivers must have their hands on the steering wheel during such maneuvers.

The upgraded system also can be directly synched with the vehicle’s navigation system to automatically switch highways or prepare to take an exit as necessary. Drivers still must have full control to steer the vehicle through an off-ramp.

Introduced in 2016, the first-generation ProPilot system allows for autonomous driving within a vehicle’s own lane at speeds as great as 100 kph (62 mph). Nissan says it has sold more than 350,000 vehicles equipped with the technology around the world. The carmaker aims to sell 1 million ProPilot-equipped vehicles per year by 2024.

Initially, ProPilot 2.0 will only be available in Japan. Availability in other markets will be added later.

The technology, which can pinpoint a vehicle’s location to within 5 cm, only works on highways that have been plotted with high-definition mapping. The Skyline’s sensor array includes seven cameras, five radar units and 12 ultrasonic devices to scan the road and surrounding areas.

In addition, a driver-monitoring system tracks attentiveness levels. If the driver becomes disengaged and doesn’t respond to prompts, the car’s hazard lights are turned on and the vehicle is pulled over and stopped at the side of the road.

The freshened Skyline also is getting a new adaptive suspension system and an optional 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 engine that generates 400 hp. That engine already is available on the Skyline’s Infiniti Q50 twin in the U.S. and Europe.

Styling changes include Nissan’s latest “V-Motion” grille and full LED taillights. After stripping off all Nissan badging on the current Skyline, the corporate name will be visible again on the new model. Media reports had speculated that the Nissan-less treatment was a precursor to launching the Infiniti brand in Japan.