Nissan Technology Protects Walls

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Nissan showed technology that protects both walls from cars, and drivers from their own stupidity lack of judgment. Sonar devices in the front and rear of the car detect hard obstacles. If the system decides that the driver is about to hit the wall, the computer cuts the gas and applies the brake.

Yesterday, Nissan was confident enough in its system to load journalists into a car, which then was driven into a wall erected in the parking lot of a Yokohama soccer stadium. The computer prevented harm to car, wall and fourth estate. The system also should prevent low speed collisions in garages and during traffic jams.

The system will first be optionally available in the new Elgrand minivan, which will go on sale in Japan on December 13.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • JD-Shifty JD-Shifty on Nov 25, 2012

    Wow. Look at all the "grumpy old man" rants.

    • NMGOM NMGOM on Nov 26, 2012

      JD-Shifty... Guilty. Remember: Jalopnik did a survey among their more traveled readers, and found that America is the 4th worst country on this planet for driving competence. Things like this wall device aren't going to help people wake up and maintain continued awareness, alertness, diligence, and responsibility. I was taught both hands on the wheel, scanning eye patterns out front, and the continual planning of stopping distances (in car lengths!) and escape routes. If that is old-fashioned, then so be it. -------------

  • Chas404 Chas404 on Nov 26, 2012

    Enter male chauvenist comments.... here. This tech would be the savior of all the shiny new small SUVs and Chryco battlewagon minivans I see all scarred up. How on earth these soccer mommies back into things in a tiny Escape or RAV4 etc I will never understand. Why I park my truck on another planet wihen going to the mall.

    • NMGOM NMGOM on Nov 26, 2012

      chas404.. "Why I park my truck on another planet wihen going to the mall." I don't go to malls for that very reason. With my bright new shiny Frontier, I would have to be medicated to do so. And I can't even tell where I would park the Z4 (avatar above) in ANY public environment. (Wasn't there some mayor of a small German town who had oversized parking spaces installed for the women drivers in his area? Instead of drawing the ire of feminists, he got letters thanking him for the realism and convenience. But that's there and this is here. Well, you wanted a male chauvinist comment, so now you have one.) ----------------

  • MaintenanceCosts I wish more vehicles in our market would be at or under 70" wide. Narrowness makes everything easier in the city.
  • El scotto They should be supping with a very, very long spoon.
  • El scotto [list=1][*]Please make an EV that's not butt-ugly. Not Jaguar gorgeous but Buick handsome will do.[/*][*] For all the golf cart dudes: A Tesla S in Plaid mode will be the fastest ride you'll ever take.[/*][*]We have actual EV owners posting on here. Just calmly stated facts and real world experience. This always seems to bring out those who would argue math.[/*][/list=1]For some people an EV will never do, too far out in the country, taking trips where an EV will need recharged, etc. If you own a home and can charge overnight an EV makes perfect sense. You're refueling while you're sleeping.My condo association is allowing owners to install chargers. You have to pay all of the owners of the parking spaces the new electric service will cross. Suggested fee is 100$ and the one getting a charger pays all the legal and filing fees. I held out for a bottle of 30 year old single malt.Perhaps high end apartments will feature reserved parking spaces with chargers in the future. Until then non home owners are relying on public charge and one of my neighbors is in IT and he charges at work. It's call a perk.I don't see company owned delivery vehicles that are EV's. The USPS and the smiley boxes should be the 1st to do this. Nor are any of our mega car dealerships doing this and but of course advertising this fact.I think a great many of the EV haters haven't came to the self-actualization that no one really cares what you drive. I can respect and appreciate what you drive but if I was pushed to answer, no I really don't care what you drive. Before everyone goes into umbrage over my last sentence, I still like cars. Especially yours.I have heated tiles in my bathroom and my kitchen. The two places you're most likely to be barefoot. An EV may fall into to the one less thing to mess with for many people.Macallan for those who were wondering.
  • EBFlex The way things look in the next 5-10 years no. There are no breakthroughs in battery technology coming, the charging infrastructure is essentially nonexistent, and the price of entry is still way too high.As soon as an EV can meet the bar set by ICE in range, refueling times, and price it will take off.
  • Jalop1991 Way to bury the lead. "Toyota to offer two EVs in the states"!
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