The new system, the ProPILOT 2.0, works hand-in-hand with the vehicle’s navigation system to help guide the car according to a pre-selected route and is set to debut in the Japanese-market Nissan Skyline.
For the first time, the system also allows “hands-off driving” while cruising in a single lane. However, the hands-off feature is not available in tunnels where GPS signals cannot be established.
Only when the car enters the highway, the new system’s navigated driving becomes available.
When activated the system can assist the driver when driving on a multi-lane highway until it reaches the highway exit. Aside from tunnels, the system also wouldn’t work on highways that have two-way traffic, on winding roads, at the toll gates or merging lanes.
When the vehicle approaches a split road, or when there’s an opportunity to overtake a slower vehicle, the system evaluates the overtaking maneuver using the navigation system along with 360-degree sensing.
Audio and visual guidance is then given to the driver, who is compelled to put both hands on the steering wheel and confirm the maneuver at a push of a button.
Once the driver pushes the button, the vehicle will smoothly move into the passing lane. When the overtaking maneuver is completed, the system will request confirmation from the driver to bring the vehicle back into the original lane.
Similarly, when approaching the exit of a highway, audio and visual guidance will notify the driver that “navigated driving” is about to end. Once the vehicle arrives at the highway exit, navigated driving is disengaged for the driver to regain full control.
When in hands-off driving mode, a driver monitoring system on the instrument panel consistently checks if the driver’s attention is on the road.
The vehicles uses a combination of cameras, radars, sonars, GPS and 3D high-definition map data to provide 360-degree, real time information of the vehicle’s precise location on the road and its surroundings.
