Nissan has introduced its fully automated intelligent vehicle towing (IVT) system at its Oppama plant in Japan. This piece of equipment uses a modified Leaf to autonomously tow trollies carrying finished vehicles between designated loading and unloading points at the plant.
Since trial operations began roughly a year ago, more than 1,600 test runs have been carried out at the facility. The data acquired has been utilized to ensure that the system can operate reliably within the plant’s premises. A safety system and a failsafe system have been developed to counter potential risks or unexpected conditions the IVT system may face during autonomous driving, including adverse weather and low light conditions.
Nissan will continue testing at the Oppama plant and will examine the possibility of implementation at other manufacturing facilities, both in and outside Japan.
December 9, 2016
