Nissan Driver Assist – be Michael Schumacher

Cars are getting cleverer by the day, or so it seems. This week, we’ve had the Jaguar XFR on test, and its driver systems are so good it makes even a numpty look like he knows what he’s doing. But Nissan are taking this to the next step, and are introducing Driver -Assist in the next Infiniti M, due at the Tokyo Motor Show in the Autumn.

Driver Assist uses GPS to track the car’s progress, and set it up in advance on twists and turns in the road. The system uses integral sensors to check how the driver is setting the car up for the corner and adjusts the settings if the driver is not getting it right. It can correct over or under steer by applying braking to any of the wheels individually and even adjust the torque to make sure the car goes where the driver intends.

The GPS integration allows the system to judge the correct throttle input and counter and over or under acceleration by the driver. Which all sounds wonderful – in theory.

But we’ve already been told that the entire GPS system is in danger of going off air in the next couple of years unless the US Military (whose satellites make GPS work) upgrade their systems. And do we really want a generation of drivers who can’t really drive – just steer – who think you can head for any bend at any speed and get through?

Sounds like a potential for disaster to me. But we’re rapidly heading to the point where the driver will be almost obsolete. Is that good?