Nissan Qashqai first to get firm’s autonomous tech

Nissan has announced its small Qashqai SUV will come equipped with its state-of-the-art Piloted Drive 1.0 technology before any other of its models.

The new semi-autonomous tech is said to steer, avoid hazards, brake and maintain a safe gap between other vehicles at up to highway speeds.

Later on in 2018, the Piloted Drive self-drive technology will be upgraded to automatically change lanes and avoid hazards while driving on the highway.

In 2020 the next-generation version of the semi-autonomous tech will be introduced, allowing Nissan cars to navigate junctions and urban areas all on autopilot.

Initially, the Piloted Drive-equipped Qashqai will be available later this year in the Japanese domestic market before it is introduced in other global markets, including Australia, a year later in 2017.

It’s not yet known whether Nissan plans to offer the new self-drive tech as an option or whether he Pilot Drive 1.0 will be incorporated to a new high-spec Qashqai trim.

The autonomous technology, developed as part of the Renault-Alliance partnership, will also be rolled out on Renault models, although the French car maker has yet to reveal which car will be first to benefit from the technology.