Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Company announced that it has launched trials of its next-generation ProPilot advanced driver-assist system in Tokyo, ahead of its scheduled launch in Japan in the 2027 fiscal year. 

The company has deployed a fleet of battery-powered Nissan Ariya-based prototypes fitted with the new system, to demonstrate the vehicles’ ability to drive safely and confidently within the complex urban environment of central Tokyo.

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Nissan’s next-generation ProPilot system combines the ‘Wayve AI Driver’ software, developed by UK-based Wayve Technologies Ltd, with its in-house ‘Ground Truth Perception’ technologies. Nissan confirmed that its next-generation ProPilot system, which also uses next-generation LiDAR, “aims to set new standards for driver assistance technologies.”

The prototype vehicles are fitted with 11 cameras, 5 radar sensors, and a next-generation LiDAR sensor, combined with Wayve’s AI Driver software, which it says applies “cutting-edge embodied AI technology to vehicle driving to enable smooth and safe driving within complex urban environments.”

Nissan said in a statement: “Wayve’s embodied AI has the ability to grasp its surroundings and anticipate what will happen next, and how its own actions will affect the environment, allowing it to drive safely in harmony with its surroundings like a skilled human driver. Furthermore, its high-speed processing capabilities allow it to respond immediately to sudden changes in conditions, ensuring it acts safely in real time.”

The automaker further explained that Wayve’s AI “is inspired by how people perceive and learn from their surroundings based on insights into human cognition and behavioral processes. It understands how entire driving scenes evolve, rather than just reacting to single objects. By learning the flow of changes in its environment, it can adapt to a wide variety of real-world scenarios and make accurate decisions even in complex situations, like an experienced and attentive human.”

Nissan’s chief technology officer, Eiichi Akashi, said the company’s “next-generation ProPilot technology will bring even more innovative features and deliver the feeling that a skilled human driver is behind the wheel. It will adapt to more complex traffic conditions and truly provide greater confidence and peace of mind, enhancing safety not only for the driver, but for everyone using the road.”