Nissan has unveiled the ProPilot Prototype vehicle, based on the Ariya, with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities that do not require any human intervention. While Waymo’s robotaxis also feature an L4 autonomous driving system at a fleet-operator level, Nissan could be among the first automakers to offer customers the unsupervised package.
According to a report by CarBuzz, the Ariya uses artificial intelligence that processes information faster than humans, as it updates information every 100 milliseconds. Not only that, the Nissan ProPilot Prototype can grasp things pretty quickly.
When the prototypes were first launched in Tokyo, it took the vehicles around six weeks to adapt to the city’s driving habits, despite the dense population. This offered Nissan the best platform for its car to learn, since it had to take into account numerous bikes, motorcycles, cars, buses, and large crowds.
The ProPilot Prototype uses 11 cameras, 5 radar sensors, and a LiDAR sensor on the roof to perceive the world and its objects. Even better is that this technology can be suited to any car with an EPAS steering system, making it highly versatile.
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What makes the system truly autonomous is that it is not connected to a central server and operates independently, making it less prone to mistakes in case the server crashes. The ProPilot Prototype uses Nissan’s navigation system found in the Ariya to drive autonomously.
The report highlights that the prototype drove flawlessly through Tokyo’s busy junctions and crowded streets, and even navigated its way around roadworks, making it seem like technology that can be relied upon. Nissan intends to test the ProPilot on the next-generation Elgrand minivan in 2027.
The question is whether a Nissan with an L4 autonomous driving system will make it to the U.S., since local legislation could be a hindrance to the technology. Waymo robotaxis currently operate in the country with an L4 system but are limited to certain areas, because they can only operate fully autonomously in specific mapped urban environments or designated conditions.
