Nissan's Autonomous Driving Test in Japan's Crowded City

Nissan, a prominent automotive manufacturer from Japan, has reportedly seen testing its driverless van through city streets, navigating the other cars and people on the street. Nissan's self-driving van has no one in the driver seat, and the steering wheel functions independently.

Nissan Motor Corp has used cutting-edge driverless technology that leverages 14 cameras, 9 radars, and six LiDar sensors inside and outside the vehicle. This important update from Nissan comes when top players like Google's Waymo have already taken the lead in the US market.

Japan is the home of the world's top automobile manufacturers, and with the initiative to test autonomous vehicles, it secured an elite list that China and US-based players dominate.

According to a report, Waymo aims to debut this year in Japan. However, the exact date is not disclosed yet, but it's likely to partner with major car company Nihon Kotsu, which will manage their all-electric Jaguar I-PACE sport utility vehicle.

When Nissan tested its autonomous van, the streets were bustling with other vehicles and saw pedestrian movement. During the test, the vehicle maintained its specified maximum speed of 40 km/h.

Takeshi Kimura, the Mobility and AI Laboratory engineer at Nissan made a statement showcasing the brand's commitment to integrating self-driving technology with the overall working of the car.

Nissan's autonomous technology ranks on Level Two because it requires a person to handle the remote control panel at a separate location so that if any technical error happens, necessary steps are taken as soon as possible.

Nissan also maintained human sitting on the front passenger seat to ensure proper safety for the pedestrian and any technical failure. According to reports, Nissan has plans to introduce 20 Serena minivans in a couple of years in the Yokohama area. Additionally, the automaker aims to achieve Level Four to ensure no human involvement, even as a backup, by the end of 2029 or 2030.

Autonomous vehicles are becoming needed in Japan's economy owing to a shrinking population and shortage of drivers. Other companies like Tier IV are also working on autonomous driving technology to offer self-driving vehicles.

So far, Japan has approved using Level-Four autonomous vehicles in rural areas like Fukui Prefecture, but these should be more like golf carts. A Level Four bus is being tested around Tokyo's Haneda airport and has a maximum speed of 12 km/h.