2012 Nissan Titan Sl Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 5.6l on 2040-cars

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Ghosn predicts autonomous cars on the roads by 2018, if laws allow

Things appear to be going well inside Nissan's autonomous vehicle development program. Until now, the automaker believed that self-driving cars would be ready for major markets like the US by 2020. However, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is now speeding up that prediction to 2018 in some places, assuming that local laws are ready to accept the computer-controlled vehicles.
"The problem isn't technology, it's legislation, and the whole question of responsibility that goes with these cars moving around," said Ghosn in a speech in France recorded by Reuters. He predicted that the first sales could begin in France, Japan and the US by 2018 and expand elsewhere in 2020.
The alliance has been among the forefront of automakers working on self-driving cars. Nissan has an autonomous Leaf (pictured above) test car that is licensed to drive on Japanese roads. Renault showed off an version of its Zoe EV earlier this year called the Next Two, that could pilot itself at speeds up to 18 miles per hour, and that the company predicted would be ready by 2020.

Recharge Wrap-Up: Georgia lawyers love the Nissan Leaf, 2B vehicles by 2035

Loads of lawyers at a firm in Georgia are taking advantage of the state's EV tax credit. Georgia offers a tax credit on leases and purchases of electric vehicles for 20 percent of the car's value, up to $5,000. This has created a trend among lawyers at Arnall Golden Gregory, who one after another have been switching from gas-powered cars to the all-electric Nissan Leaf. They appreciate the environmental benefits, as well as toll exemption and access to HOV lanes, but the tax credit seems to be the biggest motivation to switch. Says lawyer Scott Wandstrat, "Everybody is signing up, now that all the cool kids are doing it." Read more at Daily Report. (Thanks to Kevin D. for the tip!) There's an easy way to see what kind of battery pack a Tesla Model S is using. Underneath the car on the passenger side, just behind the front wheel is a sticker on the outside of the battery pack. At the top is the battery size, 60 kWh or 85 kWh. Below that is a part number, followed by a letter. According to this Tesla Motors Club wiki, those numbers denote new or refurbished battery packs. The A, B or D following that number refers to the generation of battery, which also corresponds to charging capabilities. Knowing how to decode a Tesla pack could be useful if you ever need to replace your battery. Get more details at Teslarati. There will be 2 billion vehicles in use by 2035, according to a forecast by Navigant Research. The group who brought you the fuel consumption figures we shared with you previously estimates that there are currently almost 1.2 billion light-duty vehicles in use today. Navigant expects stop-start technology to grow, with 45 percent of vehicles on the road being equipped with it by 2035. Read more at Green Car Reports. The Hybrid Shop, which specializes in reconditioning batteries, is now an AskPatty Certified Female Friendly Auto Repair Facility. AskPatty, an automotive website which offers advice for women, credits The Hybrid Shop for providing a safe and comfortable environment for women, as well as offering valuable automotive services. The Hybrid Shop has launched its own corresponding microsite, which offers the resources most requested by women. Learn more in the press release below.

Nissan reveals the face of the new Qashqai

Last week Nissan revealed the first teaser image previewing its upcoming new Qashqai. That one was wearing a big sheet and showed us little other than its basic shape and a few highlighted details, but now the Japanese automaker has released the first undisguised-ish image of the new European-market crossover.
From the image above we can tell the new Qashqai will carry the familiar face of Nissan's latest crossovers well, with the U-shaped grille and angular LED accents in the headlamp clusters. The sharp creases in the hood also make it stand out as quintessentially Japanese, particularly in a crossover market where they can all start to look the same.
We'll have to wait just a few more days to see the full thing, with the reveal set for November 7, but Nissan also released a tidy infographic showing just how successful the outgoing Qashqai has been for it in the European market. Check it out below.