‘Like a skilled human driver’: Nissan’s next-gen ProPilot to use AI

The advanced driver-assist technology is expected to launch in Japan in 2027. There’s no word on when we can expect it in Canada.

Nissan prototype vehicle on Tokyo roadway — *A Nissan demonstration prototype vehicle navigates an urban Tokyo road. – Nissan Canada photo*

Nissan says the next generation of its advanced driver-assist technology, which will be powered by artificial intelligence, will drive like a human.

The company announced it is demonstrating the next generation of the ProPilot technology and expects it to launch in the company’s Japanese home market in fiscal 2027.

To demonstrate its capability, Nissan had a fleet of electric prototype vehicles with the technology drive around urban Tokyo, saying the vehicles managed the task safely and confidently.

How does the system work?

The prototype vehicles are equipped with 11 camera, five radar sensors and a next-gen LiDAR sensor.

The vehicles also feature Wayve AI Driver software and Nissan’s Ground Truth Perception technology.

The Wayve AI Driver software processes image data from on-board camera sensors to allow the vehicle to drive smoothly and safely in complex urban environments.

“Wayve’s embodied AI has the ability to grasp its surroundings and anticipate what will happen next and how its own actions will affect the environment, allowing it to drive safely in harmony with its surroundings like a skilled human driver,” Nissan said in a news release.

The system’s high-speed processing capabilities allow it to respond immediately to sudden changes in conditions, Nissan said, which ensure it acts safely in real time.

The automaker said the system doesn’t just react to single objects, but can understand entire driving scenes.

“By learning the flow of changes in its environment, it can adapt to a wide variety of real-world scenarios and make accurate decisions even in complex situations, like an experienced and attentive human,” Nissan said.

Leap in capability

Nissan’s initial ProPilot allowed for hands-free single-lane highway driving. ProPilot 2.0 moved up to multi-lane driver support.

The next leap will allow Nissan’s vehicles to navigate complex urban roads, the company said.

“Our current ProPilot 2.0 system has been well received, but Nissan’s next-generation ProPilot technology will bring even more innovative features and deliver the feeling that a skilled human driver is behind the wheel,” Nissan chief technology officer Eiichi Akashi said in a news release. “It will adapt to more complex traffic conditions and truly provide greater confidence and peace of mind – enhancing safety not only for the driver, but for everyone using the road.”