Nissan celebrates 90 years of Great Transport Innovations – which includes the Nissan LEAF EV

Nissan celebrates their 90th anniversary by looking at the greatest transport innovations since Nissan arrived in December 1933.

It’s 90 years since Nissan was founded on 26 December 1933, and Nissan has commissioned a poll to look at the greatest transport innovations since its birth. Unsurprisingly, Nissan makes the top 30 list (below).

Nissan managed to come in at number 19 with the launch of the first mass-market EV (the LEAF), but the top three greatest innovations were Concorde in 1976, the first flight of a commercial jet in 1957 and the opening of the channel tunnel in 1994.

The On-Poll Survey also asked the 2,000 participants what the future holds, with 69 per cent believing new tech will play a big part in reducing the environmental impact of transport, and 27 per cent in favour of AI in the car industry.

Andre Hobson, Nissa GB MD, said:

Over the last 90 years, we’ve always dared to do things differently at Nissan and have delivered some truly ground-breaking innovations along the way.

We’re so proud of this pioneering spirit and the people who make up our incredible global team at Nissan – I look forward to sharing more automotive design, technology and driving excitement with our customers in the future.

Of those polled, 70 per cent believe transport innovations have had a positive impact on their lives by enabling them to travel more easily.

GREATEST TRANSPORT INNOVATIONS OF THE LAST 90 YEARS

1. 1976 – Concorde makes first passenger-carrying supersonic flight
2. 1957 – First flight of a commercial jet airliner
3. 1994 – The opening of the channel tunnel
4. 1958 – First commercial jet airliner
5. 1981 – Maiden flight of the space shuttle
6. 1960 – Launch of the first Sat Nav 
7. 1951 – Creation of power steering
8. 1988 – First airbag 
9. 1934 – Introduction of the Driving Test
10. 1955 – Creation of the Hovercraft 
11. 1959 – The first three-point seat belt 
12. 2022 – First zero-emissions electric flight takes place
13. 1939 – First practical helicopter built 
14. 1949 – First zebra crossing 
15. 1971 – The Lunar Roving vehicle is used on the moon
16. 1964 – Launch of the Bullet Train
17. 1939 – Creation of automatic transmission
18. 1967 – Automatic Train Operation: London Underground
19. 2010 – Launch of the world’s first mass-produced electric car 
20. 1984 – Driverless Cars
21. 1953 – First air conditioning in a car
22. 2022 – First railway line run by hydrogen-powered trains
23. 1971 – ABS technology first used on a car
24. 1940 – First electric bus delivered
25. 2003 – First automatic parking 
26. 2016 – First hydrogen-powered flight 
27. 1984 – First car with a CD player
28. 2001 – First hands-free Bluetooth kit 
29. 2018 – First driverless trams tested
30. 1958 – Creation of cruise control