Nissan->ke62 is so dead serious about pursuing autonomous->ke5282 driving technology that news has come out of the company’s plan to offer the technology to a handful of its existing models. Topping that list are the Nissan GT-R and the 370Z. Speaking to Auto Express at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show,->ke1834 Nissan Global Vice President for Research and Advanced Engineering Takao Asami detailed Nissan’s plan to outfit its resident supercar and sports car with the technology to help improve their capability and driving performance. Asami also said that the technology would be used differently on the two cars compared to how its going to function on the regular cars.

The plan is admittedly still in its embryonic stage and Nissan, for one, isn’t too keen on rushing the application since the technology itself is still being developed. That said, there is a feeling within the company that piloted driving on the GT-R->ke1592 and the 370Z->ke3043 could go a long way in creating a more dynamic driving experience for drivers of these cars. According to Asami, a Piloted Drive mode on the two sports cars could open the possibility of new drive modes being fitted into both the GT-R and the 370Z. The whole idea sounds exciting but customers should temper their expectations on what they can expect from a GT-R or a 370Z that’s been fitted with the company’s Piloted Drive technology.

Don’t expect these cars to drive by themselves in all road-going environments because that would completely eliminate the visceral driving experience that the two Nissan sports cars,->ke506 especially the GT-R, is known for. Instead, the company’s Piloted Drive tech will assist drivers to ensure that they can make the most of the car’s performance abilities without having to worry about making any mistakes. This kind of tech should help customers of both the GT-R and the 370Z to have a better appreciation of what their cars are capable of.

The technology isn’t expected to be launched until 2020 so that’s going to give Nissan enough time to iron out the details and work on a plan on how it can integrated the Piloted Drive tech into its performance lineup.

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Why it matters

The idea of a Nissan GT-R that has autonomous driving capabilities is pretty exciting to think about. If Nissan does push through on how it intends to use it Piloted Drive technology on the GT-R, it’s going to give Godzilla an entirely new driving dimension that customers can embrace. Based on how it was explained, a GT-R with autonomous driving technology reminds me of how neophyte gamers can immerse themselves into a car racing video game like Gran Turismo 6 or Forza 6 by manipulating the driver aids and let the computer work on some of the car’s more complicated driving functions.

If Nissan can successfully pull that off, that’s going to be a big step towards integrating both the GT-R and the 370Z with what can only be described right now as the automotive technology of the near future. I’m excited to see how that’s going to happen, although I do admit to having a few questions of myself regarding the effects of autonomous driving technology on a car as hardcore as the GT-R.

Does the GT-R really need it? I see where Nissan stands on the matter, but I also see how GT-R purists might react to seeing their beloved supercar fitted with what essentially might end up being nothing more than a very fancy driving aid. Then there’s the part about timetable. Nissan has set a timeline to have its Piloted Drive technology available in its models by 2020, but that’s a version of the tech that will likely be used on its road cars. What’s the timetable for the GT-R, or the 370Z for that matter?

Nissan hasn’t divulged clear details on that matter, so the best thing for us right now is to wait and see how the technology develops before we can judge whether it’s meant to be used on the GT-R and the 370Z.

Nissan GT-R

Read more about the Nissan GT-R here.

Nissan 370Z

Read more about the Nissan 370Z here.