TOKYO (AP) – Japanese automaker Nissan is developing vehicles with autonomous driving technology to turn the struggled automotive business around.
In a recent demonstration of technology developed by British company Wayve, a Nissan Aliya sedan equipped with 11 cameras, five radars and next-generation sensors called the Lidar, piloting downtown Tokyo, braking pedestrians and other cars at intersections.
Nissan does not provide models or other details, but it is set to be available in 2027.
It’s an already crowded field. According to market researcher IndustryARC, the autonomous car market is estimated to reach $2 trillion by 2030, in line with advances in AI, sensor technology and data processing capabilities.
Toyota Motor Corporation, a leading Japanese automaker, has signed a partnership agreement with Waymo, another autonomous driving technology developed by Google. Waymo also arrived in Japan in cooperation with a taxi company, but is still in the testing stage.
Other automakers are also working on autonomous driving technology, including Honda Motor Co., General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and non-automotive companies such as Amazon and its subsidiary Zoox.
The Nissan push comes when the entire Japanese auto market is facing serious challenges due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Nissan is particularly struggling. It slashed the work and appointed a new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, to try a turnaround. The March subcompact maker, Leaf Electric Vehicles and Infinity Luxury Brands recorded a loss in the April-June period, following RedInc’s fiscal year.
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