2017 Nissan Serena ProPilot Preview Drive | The First Step Towards An Autonomous Future
By the year 2020 autonomous vehicle technology will have well and truly arrived, but before a driverless vehicle can take to the streets Nissan has begun the roll-out of its self-driving technology in steps, starting with this one: ProPilot.
ProPilot is Nissan’s first semi-autonomous function that combines adaptive cruise control with full-stop ability and self-steering on clearly defined roads, taking the strain out of highway driving or traffic jam situations.
While Japanese consumers have had the opportunity to buy a ProPilot equipped Serena minivan since August, it has yet to be made available in any cars sold locally. However, Australian media were recently given their first experience at ProPilot at Nissan’s Oppama engineering facility in Japan ahead of its eventual roll-out into newer models.
Vehicle Style: People mover
Price: From $33,500 (approx)
Engine/trans: 110kW/200Nm 2.0 litre 4cyl petrol | CVT automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 6.0 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The minivan wrapped around the ProPilot technology isn’t all that important here as the eight-seat Serena isn't sold locally. It is perfect for Japan, where people movers still sell in significant numbers, but if the Serena were to come to Australia it would be all but invisible in this SUV-crazed market.
That’s why you won’t see the Serena here as an official import, but you will see the ProPilot autonomous technology that allows it to drive itself in highway conditions, and that what TMR travelled to Japan to discover.