CES 2019 is all about the technological accomplishments, and the connected car technology is a major theme this time. Nissan has taken the veils off of its Invisible-to-Visible technology concept. The concept was demonstrated at the CES 2019.
What Is The Invisible?
Nissan’s latest driver assistance technology, Invisible-to-Visible or I2V, is how Nissan foresees its driver assisted systems in the future. Similar to the Toyota’s Guardian system and other V2X systems, Invisible-to-Visible can be described best as an extension of the senses of the driver to alert them of conditions that they are unable to see normally.
Invisible-to-Visible works by using the data collected from the sensors on the vehicles – internal and external – and information obtained about the vehicle’s surrounding collected from the cloud to gain a better and bigger picture of the surroundings of the vehicle. This would otherwise have been impossible. By doing so, Invisible-to-Visible enables the driver to see around corners or behind a tractor-trailer as well.
Tetsuro Ueda, Nissan Research Center, says, ‘By helping you see the invisible, I2V enhances your confidence and makes driving more enjoyable. The interactive features create an experience that’s tailored to your interests and driving style so that anyone can enjoy using it in their way.’
Omni-Sensing Technology
Omni-Sensing technology doubles up as a real-time data hub for information being pulled from the traffic conditions and data from the sensors of the vehicles. Nissan’s Seamless Autonomous Mobility, or SAM, then processes the data and creates a 360 degrees virtual map of the area around the vehicle while disseminating various kinds of useful information to the driver such as signage, visibility, intersection status, and can also provide information about the pedestrian behavior near the connected vehicle.
It is not just about safety though. Invisible-to-Visible also allows the drivers and the passengers to connect to other persons in the virtual world. You can use Nissan’s technology to allow family, friends, and others to connect with the people in the car using 3D augmented reality avatars. They can provide guidance or company on a long drive.
Autonomous Driving Support
The Invisible-to-Visible can enhance the passenger experience for vehicles that possess autonomous driving technology. The Invisible-to-Visible can check for guides within the network for areas that are unfamiliar to the driver. These guides can then provide you with the required information. Omni-Sense will collect this data and shall use it for future use as well.
Manual Driving Support
When you are in the manual drive mode, Invisible-to-Visible displays all of the relevant information as an overlay on the driver’s field of view. This includes context about the environment such as traffic conditions, navigation information, and blind corners.
I2V is also capable of relying on avatar generation system for hiring a personal driving instructor who can either be displayed as an avatar in the vehicle or as a chase car in the driver’s field of view demonstrating to the driver how to drive on any given stretch of the road.
Nissan is planning to integrate all of its future vehicles into the I2V system. With the advances being made in 5G and other connectivity modes, Nissan’s I2V will become a reality soon enough in most of its future models.
