Nissan shows off next-gen Leaf's semiautonomous ProPilot system
It's capable enough to remove some monotony from driving, but don't expect another version of Autopilot quite yet.
Nissan is taking a slow, steady approach to releasing semiautonomous systems in its cars. Case in point, the second-generation Nissan Leaf, which will come with ProPilot.
The second teaser for Nissan's next-generation electric car shows a largely digital dashboard with much of its space devoted to the display for ProPilot. ProPilot is Nissan's semiautonomous driving system, and while it's capable, it's not capable of everything.
That's a whole lot of real estate specifically for ProPilot. I imagine it changes to something else when ProPilot isn't engaged.
ProPilot works within a single lane on the highway. It will take control of accelerating, braking and steering while the vehicle hangs out in a single lane on the highway. It won't change lanes, and it won't get you all the way from Point A to Point B, but ProPilot should help mitigate the tedium of highway driving.
Nissan claims ProPilot will expand its capabilities as time goes on. It will be able to navigate city intersections "in the coming years," which isn't very specific. And it's not exactly clear if that update will be pushed to Leafs sold before its release. Either way, there's a new Leaf on the way, and not a moment too soon -- the current Leaf's 100-ish-mile range doesn't stack up well against the newest player on the market, the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
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