Nissan debuts ProPILOT autonomous drive tech in new Serena minivan

Nissan Motor Co revealed the all-new fifth-generation Serena minivan today, which is scheduled to go on sale in Japan at the end of August. Importantly, it is the vehicle which debuts the carmaker's ProPILOT autonomous drive technology. 

The Serena was first introduced in 1991, and it quickly established itself as one of the most popular family vehicles in Japan, becoming one of Nissan’s core domestic models.

With hints of previous models in the new exterior design, the all-new Serena features a roomy, dynamic and refined design that sets the tone for next-generation minivans. The front fascia is bolder, highlighted by Nissan’s signature V-Motion grille and two-tier headlamps that also appeared in the previous model.

The Serena’s trademark waistline is even smoother, conveying sportiness while also providing better driver visibility. The two-tone body colour couples with the D-pillarless design to externally highlight the Serena’s spacious interior.

The dashboard design, adopting a ‘lateral flow’ theme to give a more expansive feel, features a thinner instrumental panel mounted frontward that delivers a sense of panoramic openness. High contrast colour coordination also helps to create a spacious and modern interior.

Thanks to options that can extend the length and width of the interior, the new Serena is the widest vehicle in its class.

Advanced Equipment and ProPILOT autonomous tech

The Serena gets the latest in safety technology. These include Nissan’s emergency braking system, Lane Departure Warning, Around View Monitor and Smart Rearview Mirror.

It will also feature Intelligent Park Assist, the easy-to-use automatic parking system that was first equipped on the X-Trail, with improved accuracy. And, making its debut is Nissan’s autonomous drive technology, ProPILOT (illustrated below), which can automatically control the accelerator, brakes and steering when driving on the highway, in both heavy and flowing traffic.

How ProPILOT works

ProPILOT is a revolutionary autonomous drive technology designed for highway use in single-lane traffic. Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to introduce a combination of steering, accelerator and braking that can be operated in full automatic mode, easing driver workload in heavy highway traffic and long commutes.

Employing advanced image-processing technology, the car’s ProPILOT system understands road and traffic situations and executes precise steering enabling the vehicle to perform naturally. ProPILOT technology is extremely user-friendly, thanks to a switch on the steering wheel that allows the driver to easily activate and deactivate the system. ProPILOT’s easy-to-understand and fit-to-drive interface includes a personal display showing the operating status.

The accelerator, brakes and steering are controlled based on information obtained through a mono camera equipped with advanced-image processing software. The ProPILOT camera can quickly recognise in three-dimensional depth both preceding vehicles and lane markers.

Once activated, ProPILOT automatically controls the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, using a speed preset by the driver (between approximately 30kph and 100kph). The system also keeps the car in the middle of the highway lane by reading lane markers and controlling steering, even through curves.

If a car in front stops

The ProPILOT system automatically applies the brakes to bring the vehicle to a full stop. After coming to a full stop, the vehicle will remain in place even if the driver’s foot is off the brake pedal. When ready to resume driving, ProPILOT is activated when the driver touches the switch again or lightly presses the accelerator.

Nissan is carrying out intensive studies of driving conditions in various regions so that ProPILOT will be well suited to the conditions in the markets in which it will be launched. The ProPILOT system equipped on the Serena in Japan was developed in pursuit of an easy-to-use technology for highway driving conditions in Japan.

Meet the people behind ProPILOT:

- From NASA mission control to driver's seat

- What does an anthropologist bring to autonomous driving design?