Nissan ProPilot Autonomous tech to debut on Qashqai in 2017 – with a WARNING

The Nissan Serena has been revealed in Japan with Nissan’s ProPilot autonomous driving technology and will arrive on the Qashqai in the UK in 2017.

Every car maker and his dog is working on autonomous driving technology for their cars, and the latest to go to market with a form of autonomous tech is Nissan.

The Nissan Serena people carrier has been revealed in Japan complete with Nissan’s ProPilot autonomous tech. But the big news is that it will debut in the UK and Europe on the Qashqai in 2017.

But the ProPilot isn’t proper autonomous technology and really isn’t a huge step on from Adaptive Cruise with Lane Assist, offering the ability to stick to a speed – with the car braking and accelerating as needed – and stay in lane on a motorway or dual carriageway all at the press of a button.

So you will be able to cruise along a motorway or dual carriageway without having to concentrate too much, but Nissan aren’t going to let you relax whilst the car takes the strain, which may be no bad think in light of the Tesla AutoPilot fatalities.

Even though the car can manage to steer, brake and accelerate and keep you safe, this is only Level 3 Autonomous technology – a dangerous level according to a Volvo technician – so Nissan has fitted lots of warnings.

Take your hands off the wheel and you’ll get a warning light. Don’t respond to the warning light and you’ll be beeped at. Ignore the beep and the system will switch off,which may serve you right, but doesn’t seem that safe an option.

But as the technology improves, and advances to Level 4, you will be able to relax and let the car take the strain – but that’s a few years away yet.