Ghosn Presents 2020 Autonomous Drive Roadmap

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Before the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan Thursday, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn issued a roadmap outlining the automaker’s path toward the first autonomous vehicles in 2020.

The Wall Street Journal reports the following steps Renault-Nissan will take towards its 2020 Autonomous Drive target:

  • 2016: The automaker will introduce a traffic jam pilot and fully automated parking systems, the former of which would allow vehicles to safely drive their passengers through rush hour and other congestion scenarios.
  • 2018: Vehicles will use multiple lane controls to safely negotiate road hazards and lane changes.
  • 2020: Vehicles will use intersection autonomy to delivery their passengers safely through intersections without the need for driver intervention.

Ghosn emphasized the difference between his company’s approach to autonomy over those like Google, who are pursuing vehicles that drive themselves:

Autonomous Drive is about relieving motorists of everyday tasks, particularly in congested or long-distance situations. The driver remains in control, at the wheel, of a car that is capable of doing more things automatically. Self-driving cars, by comparison, don’t require any human intervention — and remain a long-way from commercial reality. They are suitable only for tightly-controlled road-environments, at slow speeds, and face a regulatory minefield

He concluded that the 2020 roadmap was only the beginning, with further advancements to come on the momentum generated by the plan.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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 7 comments
  • Petezeiss Petezeiss on Jul 18, 2014

    He's turning into a pocket Brezhnev.

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Jul 18, 2014

    He's speaking of features - fortunately. But when it comes to self-driving cars, my response is: "from my cold, dead hands".

    • See 1 previous
    • Sportyaccordy Sportyaccordy on Jul 18, 2014

      @mcs Yea, pretty much this. "We have the technology". I don't care who you are. Stop and go traffic is awful, and any technology that enables people to suffer less through it, as well as alleviate it (a lot of it is just caused by bad drivers) is something I am behind 200%. Like Ghosn said, fully and completely autonomous cars are pretty much a pipe dream at this point, but systems that enable the option of "self driving" are pretty much here and ready to go.

  • Sco Sco on Jul 18, 2014

    Will the traffic jam pilot have both "responsible citizen" and "a-hole" modes? Presumably so otherwise how is the car going to know if I'm the type who likes to change lanes at a moments notice and use turning lanes to get ahead of traffic?

    • VoGo VoGo on Jul 18, 2014

      I would hope so, otherwise it won't work in Boston.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 19, 2014

    Is this one of those "Name The Picture" contests? My p#n!s is this long...............

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