Nissan unveils Invisible-to-Visible ‘connected car’ concept at CES
At the upcoming CES Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nissan will unveil its future vision for a vehicle that helps drivers “see the invisible” by merging both real and virtual worlds to create a connected-car experience.
Invisible-to-Visible, or I2V, is a future technology created through Nissan Intelligent Mobility. It claims to support drivers by merging information from sensors outside and inside the vehicle with data from the cloud. This enables the system not only to track the vehicle’s immediate surroundings but also to anticipate what’s ahead – even showing what’s behind a building or around the corner.
To make driving more enjoyable, guidance is given in an interactive, human-like way, such as through avatars that appear inside the car (see pic below). By tapping into the virtual world, Nissan claims I2V opens up endless possibilities for service and communication – making driving more convenient, comfortable and exciting.
“By helping you see the invisible, I2V enhances your confidence and makes driving more enjoyable,” said Tetsuro Ueda, an expert leader at the Nissan Research Center. “The interactive features create an experience that’s tailored to your interests and driving style so that anyone can enjoy using it in their own way.”
I2V is powered by Nissan’s Omni-Sensing technology, which acts as a hub gathering real-time data from the traffic environment and from the vehicle’s surroundings and interior. Nissan’s SAM (Seamless Autonomous Mobility) technology analyzes the road environment through relevant real-time information, and the ProPILOT semiautonomous driver support system provides information about the car’s surroundings.
The technology maps a 360-degree virtual space around the car to provide information about things like road and intersection status, visibility, signage or nearby pedestrians. It can also monitor the people inside the vehicle by using interior sensors to better anticipate when they may need assistance with finding something or a coffee break to stay alert.
Visitors to CES can experience I2V at Nissan’s display by putting on a pair of augmented-reality goggles and stepping inside a demonstration cockpit featuring three-dimensional interfaces and displays.
Users are guided through scenarios including a tour of a city, receiving help to find an open parking space at a busy mall, seeing a rainy day outside change to a sunny day inside the car, chasing a professional driver avatar to improve driving skills and exploring how I2V can see through buildings and around corners.
