CES is the place for wild ideas, and Nissan has a few to contribute this year. Its technology concept will showcase how augmented reality can be implemented in cars, from helping drivers see around corners and behind buildings to projecting avatars of family or friends inside the cabin.
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Nissan calls its concept "Invisible-to-Visible" (I2V) technology. It uses sensors inside and outside the vehicle to collect information on driving conditions. This is then merged with data from the cloud, which allows the technology to learn and store key information about roads for the benefit of others visiting the same area. Thus, the system will help drivers prepare for corners with poor visibility, poor road surfaces, or oncoming traffic. The system can also estimate travel times, and it'll even tell you which lane you should choose to beat traffic. Of course, Nissan envisions a world where cars can drive in either manual or autonomous mode, so the concept technology includes self-parking capability.
Here is where things get a bit crazier. If it's a rainy day and you would prefer to see the sun, the car can project a scenery of a sunny day inside the vehicle as long as the car is in autonomous mode. The technology can also create avatars of people, such as family or friends, to keep you company inside the car. Or a virtual car can be projected in front of yours to demonstrate the best way to drive on a particular road.
The sensors that enable I2V are part of Nissan's Omni-Sensing technology, and additionally provide drivers key information about visibility, road signage, intersection status, and pedestrians. Meanwhile, the sensors inside the vehicle monitor the state of a car's occupants to determine when they may need a coffee break or other assistance.
Last year at CES, Nissan showed off its "Brain-to-Vehicle" technology. When a driver wears a device to measure brain activity, the car can detect when he or she is about to do something and assist in that action.
This year's CES runs from January 8-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Source: Nissan
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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