Nissan is working on new AI technology that gathers and processes signals from the driver’s brain.
According to the Japanese car maker, its ‘brain-to-vehicle’ (B2V) technology could speed up reaction times, improve driver comfort, and even provide a more personalised form of autonomous driving.
“When most people think about autonomous driving, they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines. Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable,” said Nissan executive vice president Daniele Schillaci.
The breakthrough is the result of research into using brain decoding technology to predict a driver’s actions and detect discomfort.
The driver wears a device that measures brain-wave activity, which is then analysed by autonomous systems. According to Nissan, by recognising signs that the driver is about to turn the steering wheel, accelerate or brake, the car can begin the action 0.2 to 0.5 seconds faster than the driver. This can improve reaction times and enhance manual driving.
Meanwhile, when the vehicle is in autonomous mode, artificial intelligence (AI) can detect and evaluate driver discomfort and respond by changing the driving configuration or driving style.
Other possible uses include adjusting the vehicle’s internal environment, explained Dr Lucian Gheorghe, senior innovation researcher at the Nissan Research Center in Japan, who is leading the B2V research. For example, the technology can use augmented reality (AR) to adjust what the driver sees and create a more relaxing environment.
The technology, which is exclusive to Nissan, is expected to be ready in five to 10 years.
Tags: AI, AR, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Driverless Vehicles, Automated Vehicles, Connected Consumer, Smart Future
