Nissan AV tested on public roads ready for 2027

Nissan has begun demonstrations of a prototype vehicle equipped with its in-house-developed autonomous drive technologies, showcasing progress in its goal towards rolling out autonomous mobility services within fiscal year 2027 (April 1 to March 31).

The Nissan Leaf prototype incorporates 14 cameras, 10 radars and six Lidar sensors. Compared to earlier prototypes the company has demonstrated, the latest test vehicle features an array of roof-mounted sensors, significantly expanding the detection area and enabling more accurate detection of its surroundings.

As a result, recognition performance, behavioural prediction, and judgment functions, as well as control functions, have been enhanced.

Around Yokohama’s busy streets, close to Nissan’s global headquarters in Japan, the Leaf prototype is able to demonstrate its ability to predict pedestrian behaviour, do lane changes when merging, and judge when to safely enter intersections.

Nissan says it has been studying business models for future mobility services since fiscal year 2017.

The demonstration is held at SAE Level 2 equivalent with a safety driver present, although the company aims to continue to expand functionality and to begin offering autonomous-drive mobility services within Japan starting in fiscal year 2027, working with third parties such as local authorities and transport operators.

In the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, Nissan aims to begin trials in the Minato Mirai area, and plans to progress to service demonstration tests within fiscal year 2025. During the trials, the level of autonomous driving functionality will be gradually increased while assessing customer acceptance, with the aim to provide driverless services.

This initiative is in close cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; and other central ministries, which will promote initiatives to realise new autonomous mobility services at the Level 4 Mobility Acceleration Committee that they organise.

Click here for more information.