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Nissan tests fully autonomous ProPilot tech on Tokyo roads

We've been hearing a lot about Nissan's ProPilot technology lately. ProPilot Assist is coming to the U.S. in the Rogue, as well as the Leaf EV. For this generation, the system allows for Level 2 autonomous driving, which is essentially adaptive cruise control paired with a lane-keeping function. Later, Nissan will add ProPilot Park, which allows the car to park itself. The next generation of ProPilot, though, allows for Level 4 fully autonomous driving, even on urban streets, beginning in 2020. Nissan has announced that it has already tested it on public roads during a demonstration in Tokyo. The prototype test vehicle is an Infiniti Q50. It's fitted with 12 cameras, 12 sonar sensors, nine millimeter-wave radar sensors, six laser scanners and high-definition mapping, all run through artificial intelligence. With this combination of hardware and software, the Q50 prototype can navigate across town or on the highway, automating the entire driving duties from the moment the passenger selects a destination until their arrival. It can tackle busy intersections and respond to obstacles in the road, providing what Nissan claims is a "human-like driving feel that gives passengers peace of mind." View 29 Photos "Our next-generation ProPilot prototype showcases technology that will be available for real-world use from 2020," said Takao Asami, Nissan's senior VP of research and advanced engineering. "Today's demonstration is another example of our successful work toward creating an autonomous driving future for all." Autoblog has already had the chance to sample the current generation of ProPilot Assist, in both the Leaf and the Rogue. While there has been a little bit of disagreement in our office, most of us have found the technology to work fairly well, and are looking forward to trying the next generation of semi-autonomous and autonomous systems. As the tech advances, it will only get smoother and smarter. Related Video: News Source: Nissan Green Infiniti Nissan Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Electric Videos Sedan nissan propilot propilot

Infiniti brand will finally make its debut in Japan, but not the name

Nissan left the automotive media scratching its collective head when it announced that its Infiniti luxury brand would be renaming all of its vehicles, with cars wearing the Q designation and CUVs/SUVs wearing the QX badge. So the G Sedan became the Q50, and the G Coupe became the Q60. The QX56, meanwhile, became the QX80, and the FX crossover became the QX70. It is still thoroughly confusing nearly a year later.
Not content to confuse its US customers alone, Nissan will be fiddling with the name of one of its most revered Japanese-market models - the Skyline. Rebadged for the US as the Q50, and before that as the G Sedan/Coupe, the new Skyline will wear an Infiniti badge. What makes this truly confusing, though, is that the car won't be called the Infiniti Skyline, despite its badging. It won't even be called the Nissan Skyline, anymore. It's now just the Skyline. Apparently, Nissan thinks it can capitalize on the Skyline's link to the Japanese royal family (the Skyline was originally a product of Prince Motors, which provided vehicles for the Emperor and his family), by ditching any brand names and referring to it as its own model, according to Automotive News.
Now, confusion aside, there are things about Infiniti badging in Japan that make sense. Badging all the Nissans that eventually become Infinitis as Infinitis in the first place goes a long way to make the brand seem separate and distinct from its parent company. Speaking to AN, Infiniti's executive vice president of global product planning, Andy Palmer, puts it this way, "We have to treat Infiniti, if you will, in the same [way] that Volkswagen treats Audi. It's not a Nissan-plus. Infiniti has to stand head-to-head with any of those German competitors."

Nissan testing experimental dealer with no desks or offices

Nissan thinks it has found a better way to sell cars, and it involves stripping showrooms of everything but the cars and sales team. The brand calls the experiment the Nissan New Retail Concept, and it might get tested in the US in a few years.
The concept is relatively simple. Showrooms ditch offices, reception counters, cubicles and desks. Instead salespeople walk around inside and outside the dealer with mobile devices to assist customers and even complete sales. Associates are trained to take immediate responsibility for each visitor they encounter. For example, if owners comes inside with a problem with their vehicle, the employee escorts them to the service department and introduces them.
A dealer in London has been testing the new layout for the last nine months, and so far it reports better customer satisfaction, loyalty and most importantly higher sales. Nissan next plans to launch test stores in Moscow and Stuttgart. Then it will broaden out to more of Western Europe and finally will be tested in the Japan, the US and the Middle East, according to Automotive News.