Nissan unveils Distance Control Assist and navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control systems
12/14/2007, 3:48 PM
By Drew Johnson
Nissan unveiled its Distance Control Assist and navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control systems today. Slated to launch in Japan this month, both systems are part of Nissan’s initiative to reduce accidents involving its cars by 50% — when compared to 1995 levels — by 2015.
Distance Control Assist
The Distance Control Assist system is designed to help avoid accidents when approaching a vehicle from the rear. When a radar sensor in the car’s front bumper detects another vehicle, the car automatically determines the following distance as well as the relative speed of both vehicles.
If the car’s accelerator is not engaged, the system automatically activates the brakes. If the accelerator is engaged, the system pushes back on the accelerator in an effort to get the driver to lift their foot.
If the vehicle ahead slows or comes the a stop, the system can also warn the drive with audio and visual warning signals.
Navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control
Nissan’s navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control — as the name implies — uses the vehicle’s navigation system to control its cruise control. When the GPS system detects an oncoming curve, it automatically slows the vehicle and then brings the vehicle back up to speed upon exit.
No word when either technology will be available on U.S.-spec Nissan vehicles.
12/14, 3:51 PM
posted by:
hbcbob3
great…now if we just take the steering wheel out of the hands of drivers we can remove ALL of the fun of operating a motor vehicle
12/14, 5:09 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
I thought K.I.T.T. was a Firebird. Now he’s a GT-R?
12/14, 5:27 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Oh this is just getting silly. If you can’t operate a vehicle without all this **** you shouldn’t be behind the wheel in the first place.
12/14, 7:50 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
speaking of k.i.t.t. did you see its the ugliest mustang ever crafted now?
12/14, 8:01 PM
posted by:
autonut
Well, I just survived mother of the year almost driving into my ass with her Expedition while talking on the cell and fixing her lip gloss at the same time. They need this ****!
12/14, 8:19 PM
posted by:
C6Racer
How hard is to tap the brake when you’re in cruise control and approaching a car?
CTS: If it weren’t for that wing I think it would have looked pretty cool, IMO, like the one in Transformers, but that’s just me. The only cars with a Ford badge that I think are attractive are the GT and an all-black Saleen Mustang.
12/14, 8:36 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
^ ditch the double wing thing and whalla, the car looks good.
12/15, 10:44 AM
posted by:
Scott Kempton
I often don’t agree with you guys, but this time, I totally agree with Johnnycanuck: this is just ridiculous. If you need all this electronic gimmickry to keep your dumb ass out of an accident, then you clearly have no business driving in the first place.
I can see it now: all the little girls and little boys can think “Hey, it’s OK to touch up my lipstick now” or “Hey, it’s OK to type out another text message, even though I’m on a curvy road, because I’ve got my handy-dandy navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control switched on, so I don’t have to pay attention to the road. I’m sure it’ll keep me safe.”
On a completely different subject—CTS DRIVER: I believe the word you’re looking for is “Voila!”, (which is French for “there!”), not “whalla”.
12/15, 11:20 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Scott: check out autonut’s post as well. It’s not just the boys and girls. Bad driving habits are like cheap jewelery, passed on from one generation to the next.
12/15, 11:49 AM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
CTS: That ford K.I.T.T. was Hideous.
autonut: No,she was driving while doing those other things.I don’t like to combine the car and the phone, but I’m driving first and foremost. There’s no conversation that can’t endure a few seconds of silence while I observe what’s happening on the road
12/15, 1:23 PM
posted by:
LP640
Distance Control Assist and navigation-enabled Intelligent Cruise Control systems.
What a mouthfull. couldnt they have shortened it to something better like DCANEICCS?????
12/15, 4:24 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
hbcbob3: indeed. Great, more nanny-tech to keep mindless idiots from causing accidents. These invasive driver aids should be outright banned for trying to drive your vehicle for you.
12/15, 11:03 PM
posted by:
hateful83
Insurance companies will love this little bit of technology. I can’t wait until I get into my car and it drives itself wherever I’m going. I’m just to dam busy to worry about steering and accelerating. Thank God lexus made a car that parks itself. I wonder if you pass a drivers exam if your car parks itself?
12/16, 12:51 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
thanks scott, i noticed it when i was typing but was too dang lazy to change it.
12/16, 1:02 PM
posted by:
Eddie Willers
Come on guys, we all know this is where technology is heading. In the future we will just get in, state a destination and let the car take us there…You sound like the yokels who didnt want to give up their horses for the buggy a hundred years ago.
12/16, 8:27 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
Eddie: Then,the car can give you a CAT scan, and ignore your directions to Wendy’s and take you to trader joe’s instead.
12/16, 9:52 PM
posted by:
Eddie Willers
I prefer Whole Foods…