Nowadays, automakers as well as tech giants like Google are all over the autonomous car technology.
But as Google reports that it’s closer than ever to developing a perfect self-driving system that is ready to be exposed to different scenarios, come rain or come shine, Nissan unveils its newest concept car, an autonomous system that will allow your car’s wheel to turn into a tablet.
That’s exactly what you heard.
via GIPHY
The report comes after Nissan unveiled its IDS concept car during the latest Tokyo Motor Show. During the event, the company allowed the public to take a look at the vehicle, which comes with a steering wheel that is far from common and a fully electric system.
If the driver allows the autonomous mode to take over, the wheel turns into a tablet, giving the driver the ability to play, watch a video, work or make a call while the autonomous system does all the work.
The company hasn’t made any plans to make the IDS concept car available in a commercial scale. But in the future, other Nissan vehicles may be fitted with this technology.
By 2020, the company should have its autonomous system available for release. The concept car demonstrates just what Nissan has accomplished by combining the electrical car concept with the autonomous driving system.
When the autonomous mode kicks in, the driver’s seat moves back to give the driver more leg room as well, making the experience much more comfortable for the vehicle’s owners.
Another feature that Nissan’s concept car offers includes the technology that would allow the driver to insert his or her schedule to the system so it would start itself automatically when it’s time to go.
The system also allows the vehicle to offer the driver information on the traffic. Nissan’s autonomous model also welcomes the driver when he or she steps into the car or alerts the pedestrian when it’s OK for them to cross.
The vehicle runs on a 60 kWh battery that can be charged wirelessly as well.
According to many industry experts, the development of this particular technology could change the way most automakers and tech companies approach the self-driving technology. If Nissan is able to add this type of technology to its vehicles, Nissan’s future cars wouldn’t be only able to drive themselves. They would also be able to communicate with other vehicles and operate in a traffic jam mode, allowing the driver to sit and relax while it stays in the right lane, keeping pace with other cars.
