This is something enthusiasts (read us!) may not like to think about, but Nissan is getting serious about making autonomous driving a common phenomenon by the fiscal year 2027, in Japan at least. Phew! Can you imagine, cars driving themselves? Useful from an everyday perspective possibly, but us enthusiasts? Well…
Sticking to the matter at hand, this is a significant step towards Nissan’s long-term vision, Nissan Ambition 2030, through which it aims to resolve transport service issues faced by local communities in Japan. These communities have been facing several mobility challenges, such as driver shortages, which are a result of an ageing population. With this service, Nissan will provide a broad range of new services that enable free movement.
Nissan has been testing business models for mobility services in Japan and abroad since 2017. These vicinities include the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama and Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture, where a manned mobility service called Namie Smart Mobility has been in operation since 2021. Outside Japan, Nissan has been testing autonomous-drive mobility in London and other areas with the support of the UK government.
The car maker plans to offer autonomous driving services from 2027 onwards, working with third parties such as local authorities and transport operators. Nissan will begin trials in the Minato Mirai area in fiscal 2024, and eventually scale up the trials the following fiscal year.
While this certainly means good news to people globally, for those of us who still love the idea of a Skyline R34 coming back to life one day, well…
