Nissan is putting its vehicles with the latest autonomous driving technology on public roads

Nissan has started using a Leaf unit equipped with the latest autonomous driving technology developed in-house by the company on the streets of Yokohama, Japan. As the Japanese manufacturer explains, this prototype is equipped with 14 cameras, ten radars and six LiDAR sensors. This unit with autonomous capabilities will carry out demonstrations at a level of autonomy equivalent to SAE Level 2, with a driver present to ensure safety. However, the company plans to expand this functionality to reach Level 4, in order to offer autonomous mobility services in Japan from 2027 onward.

The Nissan Leaf prototype will drive through the busy streets of Yokohama, near Nissan’s global headquarters in Japan. The company states that the prototype can predict pedestrian behavior, perform lane changes and decide when to safely enter intersections.

In the last quarter of the year, Nissan aims to begin testing similar prototypes in the Minato Mirai area, Yokohama’s central business district, known for its futuristic high-rise buildings. The company hopes to make progress with its demonstration service tests throughout 2025, gradually increasing the level of autonomous driving functionality while assessing customer acceptance of this type of driverless service.

Autonomous driving is not a whim but a necessity

Nissan believes that the aging of Japan’s population is a problem that other highly industrialized nations also face, and as a consequence they will likewise have to contend with a shortage of drivers for mobility and transport services. In Europe, for example, this could be a problem in low-density areas where distances are greater. Although in this case autonomous driving systems will have the advantage of facing fewer obstacles.

Nissan states that, with its autonomous driving program, it intends to provide a wide range of new services that enable the population’s freedom of movement. This initiative by Nissan in Japan is being carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of the country, as well as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

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HatchbackNissan Leaf8 versions · from 37,080 €