When you come into the auto parts center in Sanford, Maine to pick up a new filter or car accessory for your Nissan Altima or Murano, you probably don't give a second thought to the research and development behind it. However, once you see the nature inspired robots that Nissan developers are using in the creation of safe, autonomous driving systems, it's likely to stick with you.
By viewing a video on the NissanNews.com site, you can watch a group of cute, EPORO (EPisode 0 Robot) automatons that company engineers designed after watching the behaviors of certain animals in the wild. Consider that flock of geese leaving Maine at this time of year, and how they follow the leader with perfect ease and unity. By building the EPORO units with similar communication systems, Nissan hopes to create safe, automatic driving systems.
Sanford drivers familiar with collision avoidance features like intelligent brake assist are already aware of the type of technology we are talking about. Specific inspiration came from the patterns of fish swimming in schools, and the complex eyes of a bumblebee which can see a range over 300 degrees.
Discussing one such development, the Laser Range Finder (LRF), Toshiyuki Andou, manager of Nissan's Mobility Laboratory and lead project engineer says, "The split-second it detects an obstacle the car robot will mimic the movements of a bee and instantly change direction by turning its wheels at right angles or greater to avoid a collision."1
Here at Marc Motors Nissan, we are all in favor of anything that keeps local drivers safe, especially now that colder weather and less predictable driving conditions are on the way. To learn more about Nissan safe driving technologies, ordering your Nissan car parts online in the dead of winter, or any new or used Nissan, call us at 207-324-3454 or visit the showroom today at 1357 Main St, Sanford, ME 04073.
Source: 1 http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/releases/nissan-inspired-by-bees-and-fish-in-developing-technology-for-future-mobility