Nissan Motor Co. recently hosted a forum on autonomous vehicles in Washington D.C. showcasing the company’s automated drive technologies.
The forum was attended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
How to drive a vehicle always has been left up to the driver, Andy Christensen, senior manager of Michigan’s Nissan Technical Center North America, said.
“Working in the area of driving automation is a completely new challenge since we are now trying to develop sensors and systems that can understand and adapt as well as human drivers,” Christensen said.
Nissan’s goal is not to replace the driver, but to enhance the experience by making vehicles more exciting and intelligent, Christensen said.
The first step to autonomous vehicles is driver assist systems. Nissan ProPILOT Assist is the first step, but as technology and sensors advance, more functions will be transferred from the driver to the autonomous system, Christensen said. This will allow the driver to perform other tasks while the vehicle is moving.
Nissan is willing to work with lawmakers and officials to address the concerns associated with autonomous vehicles, Tracy Woodard, director of Government Affairs, Nissan North America, said.