Nissan has launched a new project to see how autonomous driving technology can be deployed in communities across the UK.
The Japanese manufacturing giant will lead a new £3million research project backed by the Government to deploy a “UK mobility service”.
The project, which will include Warwick Manufacturing Group, will operate in Cambridge and explore how autonomous drive passenger services can be used in real-world situations.
A 2022 Nissan Leaf has been specially adapted for the new project to assess real-world testing and community engagement.
The new “ADventure” project will further examine how autonomous driving technology can “create social value, improve accessibility and address local transport challenges”.
One example given by Nissan includes whether an autonomous vehicle could take a person who doesn’t drive to a medical appointment.
Autonomous vehicles are already deployed in London through ride-hailing service Uber, although safety riders are required to sit in the driver’s seat and intervene when necessary.
The UK Government has pushed for autonomous driving projects to be introduced, suggesting that the sector could be worth more than £30billion within the next decade.
Nissan has announced the launch of a new self-driving project on UK streets
|
NISSAN
David Moss, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO), described the autonomous driving project as an “important step” for the UK.
He added: “With UK Government backing, it will take autonomous vehicle research beyond central London and into another city, helping us understand how these services can work for different communities and real-life journeys.
“By developing and applying Nissan’s in-house expertise, combined with the wider knowledge from our partners, we can delve further into how self-driving vehicles can improve connectivity, accessibility and quality of everyday life.”
The project is backed by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and facilitated via the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC).
Nissan said the project would ‘set a blueprint for other communities using autonomous driving technology’
|
NISSAN
Nissan will focus on three key areas, including understanding how autonomous mobility can support existing transport networks and respond to local needs.
The second aim will be to build passenger confidence and explore what people need to have faith in the services through educations.
Lastly, the technology will focus on how autonomous driving systems perform safely and effectively on public roads.
The new trial, which works in partnership with Innovate UK and inward investment, builds on previous projects including HumanDrive, ServCity and evolvAD.
Nissan is leading the £3million research project with Warwick Manufacturing Group, and is backed by the UK Government
|
NISSAN
Nissan’s wider goal is to show how advanced vehicle technology can “transcend into real-world mobility services that people can trust and use every day”.
Councillor Brian Milnes, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership, said the city could become one of the UK’s “most exciting” places to test autonomous vehicle technology.
Cambridge was highlighted for its reputation as one of the UK’s leading centres for transport innovation and autonomous mobility research.
“By backing cutting-edge technologies with the investment they need to scale up key projects, we are backing firms like Nissan to drive growth and create jobs in every part of the UK – reinforcing Britain’s leadership in this fast-growing industry,” Reindustrialisation Minister Blair McDougall said.