Nissan announced Tuesday that it is committed to begin selling cars with self-driving technology as early as 2020 and plans to showcase its own autonomous technology at Nissan 360, later this year.
Nissan, one of world's leading car making companies, Tuesday revealed plans of building and selling its first self-driving cars by 2020. The car maker known for its revolutionary Nissan LEAF, which is the leading electric car vehicle globally, is promising another winner.
The Japanese multinational automaker said that it is working vigorously to develop its own technology and has been utilising the services of the best brains from the world's leading universities including MIT, Stanford, Oxford, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Tokyo.
"Nissan Motor Company's willingness to question conventional thinking and to drive progress - is what sets us apart," CEO Carlos Ghosn, said in a press release. "In 2007 I pledged that - by 2010 - Nissan would mass market a zero-emission vehicle. Today, the Nissan LEAF is the best-selling electric vehicle in history. Now I am committing to be ready to introduce a new ground-breaking technology, Autonomous Drive, by 2020, and we are on track to realize it."
Google is the first tech company to have built a self-driving technology and has been testing its invention for some time now. Although, the web giant has had several run-ins with the authorities for the technology for use in public, it has convinced the government to test its functional Toyota Pruis fitted with autonomous technology in the streets of California, Nevada and Florida. General Motors has partially joined the race with plans of revealing a semi-automatic Cadillac driving system by 2015.
Nissan is building the technology in Japan, where it will be tested in extreme conditions to ensure complete safety in real world driving scenarios. The car maker is hoping to demonstrate its autonomous technology at Nissan 360, a huge test drive and stakeholder interaction event to be held in Southern California later this year.
The Yokohama-based company plans to demonstrate other technologies at the event including laser scanners, "Around View Monitor" cameras, and advanced artificial intelligence and actuators, according to the press release. "Nissan's autonomous driving technology is an extension of its Safety Shield, which monitors a 360-degree view around a vehicle for risks, offers warnings to the driver and takes action if necessary."
