Nissan IDS Concept Gives a Glimpse at the Future of Mobility

At the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan unveiled a concept car that may very well come to define the future. The Nissan IDS Concept is an autonomous electric vehicle equipped with a 60-kWh battery (twice the size of a 2016 Leaf).

Revolutionizing Future Mobility with Nissan Intelligent Drive

At the presentation, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said, “Nissan’s forthcoming technologies will revolutionize the relationship between car and driver.” The IDS Concept would seem to embody that statement.

The car is sleek, compact, and aerodynamic, and it appears highly reminiscent of the Leaf EV. It’s what the IDS Concept does that truly gives us a glimpse of the future.

At any moment while driving, the driver can push a button the middle of the steering apparatus and put the car in Piloted Drive mode. At that point, the steering device (it’s not really a wheel) folds away and is replaced by a tablet interface, along with a broad LCD screen that displays navigation, social, and personal information such as the owner’s schedule. With proper integration, the car can even show you if you have friends nearby.

Another button press puts control of the vehicle back in the driver’s hands. An advanced Head Up Display is present to make driving easier, but the car also has an external display feature. Two LED strips line the side of the car and can illuminate at specific points depending on the proximity of pedestrians. This is to let pedestrians know that the IDS Concept is aware of them, and with feedback given to the driver, everyone will be safer.

While a human is in control, the Intelligent Drive AI is still paying attention, warning the driver of potential hazards and even learning how they drive. The system can deduce when you are getting tired based on your feedback and habits, and it will suggest when it thinks you should stop to eat or rest, even offering suggestions based on nearby restaurants that you like.

Ghosn said that cars like the IDS Concept will make driving more enjoyable because drivers can choose to control their vehicle or to relinquish control when in traffic when the usual joy of the road might not be present. We don’t know how much of the next Leaf, or another Nissan model, is present in this concept car, but we are definitely excited by what we’re seeing. Nissan has said it wants to put an autonomous vehicle on the market by 2020 with the goal of a “zero-emission, zero-fatality future for car transportation.”

You can see more pictures of the IDS Concept and read a press release here.

Tell us what you think of the Nissan IDS Concept next time you stop by our store. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help you at Leith Nissan in Cary.