Ghosn says Nissan to unleash 15 new technologies every year from 2009
In 2000, Nissan spent $1.8 billion. This year it spent $4.4 billion, and is hiring techs, engineers, and scientists to fill a 2,000-person R&D center in Japan. And by spending even more in the coming years on a plan it calls Vision 2015, Nissan plans to re-establish its tech credentials and make driving safer, quicker, cleaner, and more fun in the process.
It will do so by bringing out 15 new technologies every year.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Some of those are pretty clear, like a hydrocarbon-reducing catalytic converter and a lane change departure warning system. Others are somewhat futuristic, like the paint that heals itself with sunlight, and the car-to-car communication system routed through a central central Nissan data center that lets Nissan drivers know about traffic conditions. And some are lofty, like a system that detects alcohol in a driver's sweat, and the firm selling an all-electric vehicle in the US as early as 2012.
And then there's that guy in the dashboard you see in the pic above. We would describe him as: freakin' freaky. He is part of an effort to get kids to enjoy cars again by giving cars actual personalities instead of mere driving personalities, since Nissan seems to feel kids enjoy their gadgets more than their cars. It will make your car something like your pet, an "onboard personal robot that will greet drivers, chat with them about their day and notify them of driving issues, such as slippery roads and traffic speed." Stay tuned for 2015, when your car looks you in the eye and says "I really wish you hadn't done that."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
naggs 5:11PM (11/19/2007)
"turn off the traction control"
"im afraid i cant do that dave"
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nissanfreak87 5:15PM (11/19/2007)
lol, just hit the monkey until it turns it off, you have to let it know who's boss
naggs 5:56PM (11/19/2007)
thats what she said
CW 5:18PM (11/19/2007)
And I thought the intelligent key on my Altima was cool
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EMC 6:01PM (11/19/2007)
all well and good, but I'm always apprehensive when someone starts spouting the whole "progress for progress sake" type speech... :S
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Justin Fletcher 9:29PM (11/20/2007)
Bad things happen when the monkey's eyes turn from blue to red. That's how you know its evil...
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Mal Fuller 5:59PM (11/19/2007)
I'm sure this will include cosmic cup holders with a memory.
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Mike 6:03PM (11/19/2007)
You know, I have enough trouble getting my dog to behave...I don't want to have to resort to smacking my car on the nose when it doesn't want turn the TC off.
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geo.stewart 6:08PM (11/19/2007)
since when is the target demographic for an automobile an 8 yr old?
most kids outgrow the neopet market.
and how much of that technology listed is going to be me-too? lane departure? already happening.
car to car, already being developed by others also
alcohol sensing in your sweat? how much do i have to sweat? there are other techologies or equipment out there...
we'll see what Nissan and the French actually comes out with.
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barry 7:05PM (11/19/2007)
I like that hydrocarbon-reducing catalytic converter. If it is one thing they changed quickly with intelligence in 20 years, it is the deadly convertors. If I am not mistaken, it was japanese who had the first of realistic. Remember the stinkers of the 80s? There goes the little subes 20 years later growin flowers behind it, on original stuff, still better than most cars I have been forced to get a wiff of.. I hope that nissan makes it good. The other stuff is indeed for kids. If my car calls me dave .. so help me..
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Ben H. 9:03PM (11/19/2007)
Hey, I know - Fisher-Price Knight-Rider!!!!
This is what Michael Knight Junior is going to be driving in that TV-movie!!
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RealityCheck 9:19PM (11/19/2007)
Does that mean green start buttons? I never got the red ones. I love this BS it is easy to just say things when you don't say any thing.....
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Xcountryflyer 11:07PM (11/19/2007)
Hopefully it's not one of those attacking monkeys from India!
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AltairDusk 1:15AM (11/20/2007)
Always wondered what it would look like if Fisher-Price made a car...
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alphabeta777 1:59AM (11/20/2007)
What do they mean by new technology?
If they're going to chuck a Chrysler and count something like heated cup holders as a 'technology', then no thanks.
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more money than. 7:56AM (11/20/2007)
Bad Monkey! Bad! lol, Anyone old enough to remember the talking cars of the 1980's. Chrysler and a few Japanese companies had voice warning systems. Hopefully the pre programmed words will not be as annoying as that. "Your door is ajar" no it isn't. "Your door is ajar" NO, it isnt "Your door is ajar" @#$^%#*!!!!!
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JOEL 11:08AM (11/20/2007)
Sadly the future of automobile no longer belong to the Country who made the most out of building car{they were great for their days} instead it is going right back to the peoples who invented Automobile , the Fremnch and the German.why? because the US auto makers have totally ignored the Customers and the change in geo political situation , actually contributing in making it worst. The French have fairly high performance vehicle with 20 mpg for decade {sss} while the German have perfected the fasted diesel vehicle who ran the most grueling races and won by such marging they could almost eat an entire meal before the next race car crossed the line , and that's a fact. Today I am looking at the "new" chevy and it remind me of an article in one of the major US Car Magazine and how funny these French Car look , well that car look 100% like a French car but 15 years later .........
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JOEL 11:10AM (11/20/2007)
I love the new Chevy and it look just like what the French were building at Renault ,Peugeot and Citroen , 15 years ago , another 15 years and we finally will catch up with them, assuming the Chinese don't take over our Auto industry before at the pace they are going the big 3 will be seen only in History magazine.
ps:thanks to Renault who kept afloat Jeep/Amc for 10 years and sadly gave up because of louzy US mangement.
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