Nissan's ProPilot Assist could be a commuter's best friend new messages
[MUSIC]
The road to self-driving cars has many levels.
And with ProPilot Assist, Nissan is cracking level two.
The system, which is coming to the new Leaf later this year, will not enable autonomous driving.
Company officials are being refreshingly candid about that.
This suite of tech is designed to ease the stress of stop and go driving, not to take over.
I've come here to Nissan's tech center in Farmington Hills, Michigan to try out pro-pilot assist and that's appropriate since 50,000 miles of US development were quarterbacked right here out of this very facility.
Let's hop into Nissan's test vehicle and see how it works.
Activation is easy.
You just press this blue icon to turn ProPILOT on, and then press the set button as you would for cruise control.
The system only activates lane centering when conditions permit.
The system leverages a front facing camera and radar to do its work.
There's not a lot of expensive extra hardware required.
[MUSIC]
So we're here on 696 in suburban Michigan, on the freeway in heavy traffic.
And right now, I've got this system activated and it's keeping me safely in the middle of the lane with a preset distance between me and the vehicle ahead.
I've got the cruise control right now set at 75, but traffic isn't really allowing for it.
So right now we're going about 65.
It knows I don't have my foot on the pedal right now.
And I don't actually really have to steer very much.
Nissan has tested this system all around the country, not just for the different lane markings that vary state to state, but also different conditions like.
Right now, we're going into a tunnel and it changes the light level and the contrast that this system has to work with.
And that can be pretty challenging and it seems to be dealing with that with no problems whatsoever.
And we've only been in the road for a few minutes.
But one of the things I'm really impressed about with this system is how well is keeping me centered in the lane.
And when you're in Michigan where sometimes the lane markings aren't great.
And the road conditions with potholes and such also aren't great.
It picked up the two lines which it needs on either side of the vehicle immediately and has held on to that ever since.
This is a single lane system, it can't change lanes on it's own.
However, if you initiate a lane change, it will reactivate automatically So if you focus as driver happens to drift off a little bite and you are not actively involved in your steering.
It's going to warn you after a little while.
So i have got my hands capped over the wheel here.
But am not really exerting any toward coming.
So it's gonna realize that am not really fully including the driving process.
And it pups up the warning on the gauge cluster.
[SOUND] So it gives me an audible chime and it's more urgent.
And then it taps the brakes saying wake up, stupid.
If I'm still not paying proper attention, or for some reason I'm incapacitated, this vehicle will actually slow down in lane all the way to a stop Putting the hazard lights on the back so that surrounding traffic knows there's something wrong and they get away from this vehicle.
At the end of the day, ProPILOT Assist is a pretty simple system.
But if my test is any indication, it works exactly as advertised.
Most impressively, Nissan is rolling it out in more affordable, higher volume models like the next LEAF and soon, the Rogue.
Instead of high dollar Infinitis, that means this safety tech will be in more customers' hands and on the road sooner and that's good news for all motorists, not just Nissan drivers.
[BLANK_AUDIO]
Up Next
Watch Segway's New Kart Go From Racing to Gaming
Up Next
Watch Segway's New Kart Go From Racing to Gaming
Watch Me Park a Real BMW Over the Internet
Watch Me Park a Real BMW Over the Internet
Hyundai Mobion EV Concept Moves Like No Other Car
Hyundai Mobion EV Concept Moves Like No Other Car
See LG's Car of the Future Concept
See LG's Car of the Future Concept
Hands-On With the First ChatGPT-Enabled Electric Car
Hands-On With the First ChatGPT-Enabled Electric Car
Samsung Rollable OLED Is Changing Automotive Design
Samsung Rollable OLED Is Changing Automotive Design
What's Next for EVs in 2024
What's Next for EVs in 2024
Pebble Flow Electric RV Pulls Its Own Weight
Pebble Flow Electric RV Pulls Its Own Weight
300-Mile Honda Prologue EV Hits the Road Next Year
300-Mile Honda Prologue EV Hits the Road Next Year
What to Look For When Buying an EV
What to Look For When Buying an EV
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
Latest How To All how to videos
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro