Nissan Leaf Robotaxi To Start Trials Next Year

Nissan and DeNA has started collaborating to develop a new mobility service that uses autonomous driving technology in January 2017. The two companies aim to combine the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, through technological assets in autonomous driving, vehicle electrification and connected cars, with DeNA's experience in developing and operating driverless mobility services using its expertise in the internet and artificial intelligence. The mobility service will be launched in Yokohama, Japan in March 2018 

Both companies worked towards creating a concept called Easy Ride and it is as a service for anyone who wants to travel freely to their destination of choice in a robo-vehicle. The goal is to allow customers to use a dedicated mobile app to complete the whole process from setting destinations and summoning vehicles to paying the fare. Customers can also select recommended local destinations and sightseeing routes depending on their objectives. Nissan and DeNA plan to support multiple languages and to use a remote monitoring system to ensure customer safety.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About The 2018 Nissan Leaf 

However, a technical field test is what remains to be seen and Nissan and DeNA has already started doing it this year. The car in question is the all-new Nissan Leaf and we were there when it was showcased to the world. It's the first Nissan vehicle to feature the ProPILOT Park system, which will help the driver to park in tight spots by taking over the steering wheel. The Leaf uses Sonar tech and cameras to drive itself in various parking spots, be it angled, parallel, straight.

It also gets a new e-Pedal system which will accelerate, decelerate, stop or hold. This one-pedal technology allows the combination of speeding up, slowing down and braking, all with stepping on the one-pedal function. It will be handy in congested traffic. Power output stands at 148 bhp and there's a torque of 320 Nm on offer. Charging time is 8 hours to 16 hours depending on the power capacity and the Leaf also gets a quick charging feature which can give 80 per cent battery time in 40 minutes.