Autoblog

2013 Nissan Pathfinder: January 2013

John Neff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Nissan, Long-Term Garage

We've now had our long-term 2013 Nissan Pathfinder for about a month, and some impressions are starting to solidify, while others remain contentious among the team. Most notable among those contentious items is our Pathfinder's paint color, which was chosen by vote among the Autoblog team.

Dubbed Mocha Stone, it beat out Cayenne Red by a single vote. I was a Mocha Stone supporter and like it even more in person than on Nissan's configurator. It's a mature choice that can be comfortably placed in the grouping of silver, white and gray tones buyers routinely choose most often over all the colors of the rainbow offered on cars these days for the sake of attention. Staunch opponents of Mocha Stone on the team remain unswayed. Democracy is a difficult process, people.

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder: January 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan reveals camera-guided pedal misapplication prevention technology [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Safety, Technology, Nissan

Nissan has created a new system to help reduce the likelihood of pedal misapplication. Called the Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication with Carpark Detection Function (catchy, huh?), the technology uses a version of the company's ingenious Around View monitor to detect if the vehicle is in a parking space. If so and there are solid object such as other vehicles or walls near by, the vehicle's cameras will automatically control acceleration and apply the brakes to prevent a collision if inappropriate throttle use is detected. Nissan showed a similar - and presumably related - technology last year dubbed Acceleration Suppression For Pedal Misapplication, but the Elgrand figures to be the first production application of this unintended-acceleration-combating technology. Currently, the technology is slated to debut on an updated version of the Nissan Elgrand minivan in Japan.

We wouldn't be surprised to see the system show up in other markets and on other members of the family soon, including the company's gadget-happy Infiniti line. Nissan says Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication is part of the company's Vision Zero goal, which aims to reduce traffic deaths by countering threats at every stage of a potential accident. For more information, scroll down to watch a video showing Acceleration Suppression For Pedal Misapplication in action, and while you're there, check out the press release.

Continue reading Nissan reveals camera-guided pedal misapplication prevention technology [w/video]

Nissan reveals camera-guided pedal misapplication prevention technology [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos]

Jeff Sabatini — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Hatchback, Nissan, Design/Style

The second-generation Nissan Note mini MPV debuted in Japan today, featuring a more dramatic design. Nissan is calling the car's deep character line a "Squash Line," perhaps because it looks like someone squashed the side of the car with the prow of a kayak.

We're more excited about other aspects of the Note than its design, the first being that Nissan will be fitting the car with its Around View Monitor system. Once the province of high-spec Infiniti models, that this camera system has now found its way into the subcompact segment can only point to the technology's proliferation throughout Nissan's product line. While we are big fans of Around View Monitor, we do wonder, however, whether it's really necessary in cars this small?

Our second area of interest lies under the hood, where Nissan is fitting a three-cylinder engine. Don't scoff, as we're willing to bet that just as four is the new six today, three will be tomorrow's new four. This one comes in a neat variant, supercharged and direct injected with a compression ratio of 13:1. Nissan claims the Note will be able to hit "class leading economy of 25.2 km/L" which converts to 59 mpg. The same engine fitted in the new Nissan March makes 92 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque, which could be enough power to give this engine a potential future in the North American market.

For now though, the Japanese Note is slated to launch in September, with the European version bowing sometime next year.

Check out all the images of the new Note in our gallery and scroll down to read the presser and watch videos from its debut.

Continue reading New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos]

New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan releases details about "Around View Monitor"

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Safety, Technology, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan

Spatially-challenged drivers rejoice! As previously reported, Nissan has developed a new parking assist system that employs four ultra-wide high-resolution cameras mounted in the front, rear and both sides of the vehicle to provide a bird's eye view of the vehicle's surroundings. All those images are processed and displayed in real-time on a dash-mounted screen, giving drivers a 360-degree view of what they don't want to hit.

Shifting the car into reverse or drive will alternate between a view of the front or rear, while drivers will be able to toggle the left, front and right views when performing a particularly tricky parallel parking maneuver.

The first application of Nissan's "Around View Monitor" in the U.S. will be in the Infiniti EX35, but we'd expect it to become a hot commodity on some of Nissan and Infiniti's more bloated SUV offerings soon.

Nissan's full press release, including a video, is posted after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Gallery: Nissan's Around View Monitor

Continue reading Nissan releases details about "Around View Monitor"

Nissan releases details about "Around View Monitor" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti's Around View Monitor is watching

John Neff — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Gadgets, New York Auto Show, Safety, Technology, Crossover, Infiniti

The Infiniti EX concept that will debut this week at the New York Auto Show features a trick piece of parking assist technology called the Around View Monitor. It uses four cameras placed around the vehicle to create a composite video feed showing an aerial view of the vehicle. While we don't know much about how it works, the system features cameras placed in the grille, beneath both side view mirrors, and below the Infiniti badge on the concept's rear hatch. The camera in the grille is especially tricky, as it's concealed when not in use and rolls out when activated. It's even chromed to match the grille! The obvious use of the system is to aid in difficult parking manuevers. As such, we bet it can only be turned on when the vehicle is in reverse. We'd love to see someone hack the system to record a trip in motion from the sky, though.

Check out the video from Infiniti after the jump to see how the system works.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Continue reading Infiniti's Around View Monitor is watching

Infiniti's Around View Monitor is watching originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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