The massive problem with Nissan’s newest ProPILOT Assist
Good job Nissan, let’s make it easier for kids to text and drive.
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We will first discuss what this ‘ProPILOT’ is.
“The 2018 Nissan Rogue’s new ProPILOT Assist2 eases driver workload by reducing the amount of driver acceleration, steering and braking input under certain driving conditions. To activate the system, the driver simply pushes the blue ProPILOT Assist ON button, which is integrated into the right-side steering wheel spoke. Step two is to set the Intelligent Cruise Control when the desired speed is reached, as with a normal advanced cruise control system.”
This is a section of an article that Nissan released explaining the new system in the 2018 Rogue model. The technology is essentially a semi autonomous driver assist that accounts for small human errors while driving. Below is a quick commercial that was released by Nissan as well.
You can see a nervous young driver with her father. This is clearly reasonable as many young drivers can struggle with the anxiety of driving on busy roads. However, the second this young girl presses the ProPILOT button is where things can get messy.
Sure, in a closed situation for a commercial this system will redirect you if you start to leave the road. Lets not forget, she gets distracted by some cool Star Wars battles. So lets make this a real world example. Instead of those Star Wars battles distracting the driver, texting is the distraction. In certain situations these assists will not help you. For example, a speeding car from oncoming traffic loses control and comes into your lane. ProPILOT may move you but it could happen way too fast.
This may seem like a stretch but impressionable young drivers may see this and not fully understand the technology. This lack of understanding will make them think that its safe to be distracted because this technology can help them. The commercial is specifically marketed to beginner drivers and their parents. The parents will likely be making the purchase so one could assume the child will not really care about how the technology in the car works.
Oh this can help me stop and stay in the lane? I might as well reply to a few of those texts I missed. As of right now the driver still has to pay full attention to the road; even with semi automated driving assists. The days of these systems that offer ‘semi autonomous driving’ are very dangerous.
Sure, these systems can be useful but lets be honest…if you are truly focusing on the road you don’t need them. Essentially this Nissan ProPILOT commercial has made it seem like you are allowed to be distracted because it will save you. Breaking the commercial down like that is certainly a stretch but just wait until a teen texting while driving with ProPILOT gets into an accident.
In no way is ProPILOT a flawless system that can prevent all crashes. Because of this uncertainty, Nissan is in trouble. This technology will be abused and abused until something terrible happens. You can argue that a driver would not be that stupid and ignorant with this technology. But can you? People do absurd things everyday so why wouldn’t a teenager take a shortcut?
Let us know what you think about this new technology and specifically how this commercial portrays it. We hope to hear from Nissan about how it will impact young drivers choosing to text and drive. A full press release by Nissan about the new ProPILOT Assist will be linked below as a reference.
