Japan-based manufacturer Nissan has announced that its newest minivan, the Serena, will be the first vehicle in its stable to feature an autonomous drive system known as ProPILOT. The system is designed to be used in single-lane traffic at first, with automatic lane changing being a feature that will come in the near future. The system is said to use “advanced image-processing technology” and is supposed to be extremely user-friendly.

The system will control acceleration, braking, and steering when engaged, all based on information taken in through the car’s mono camera. Apparently, the system can recognize objects and lane markers in three-dimensional depth. According to Nissan’s press release, the system will keep a specific distance away from any vehicle in front of it, while keeping a consistent speed that can be set anywhere between 18 mph and about 62 mph. As you can see, the system is more suited for congested roadways and slower moving traffic, but according to Nissan, there will be additional functionality added to the system at a later time.

For those concerned with the safety of the system – especially with the number of Tesla vehicles smashing themselves lately – the ProPILOT system is designed to make sure the driver keeps his hands on the wheel. A report from Automotive News indicates there is a torque sensor built into the steering system that detects whether or not the driver’s hands are on the wheel. Should the driver try to nod off or focus his attention elsewhere, a warning light will illuminate followed by an annoying chime. If that doesn’t get the driver's attention, the system will automatically shut down.

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Why it Matters

As of the time of this writing, the system is only available on the Serena, which is sold in the Japanese Market. However, Nissan says it will be introduced on the Qashqai in Europe as early as the 2017 model year and that there are plans for the system to come to the U.S. and Chinese markets at an undisclosed time in the future. The system will be able to make automatic lane changes by 2018 and should be capable of handling urban roads and intersections by the turn of the decade.

For those wondering, the ProPilot system actually differs greatly from the semi-autonomous features available on Infiniti vehicles. The semi-autonomous tech in Infiniti vehicles is heavily backed by the use of lasers while the ProPilot system relies on a camera – much like Tesla’s autonomous system. As far as Nissan being the “first” Japanese brand with fully-autonomous technology, no other competitors come to mind, but it seems like its luxury branch can pretty much do the same thing at this point, as Infiniti’s semi-autonomous technology can follow vehicles and steer at this point as well. Perhaps Nissan is jumping the gun by saying it is the first – at least until 2018 when the ProPILOT system will reportedly be able to change lanes as well.