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Nissan seeks tech tie-up without Renault as alliance nears end of road

Nissan is developing growth plans in areas such as software and electric vehicles (EVs) independent of Renault SA as the automakers work to finalize terms of a sharply limited alliance, said seven people with knowledge of the matter. Japan's third-biggest automaker by sales is seeking a partner outside the auto industry to develop software that connects vehicles to cloud-based services, two people involved in discussions said, without elaborating on candidates. That would address a relative weakness for Nissan as it tries to make cars "smarter and more connected," one of the people said. It is also working on an expanded strategy for all-battery and plug-in EVs for North American and Asian markets that will be for Nissan alone, they said. The revelations come as the alliance oversight board met this week to discuss a rebalance that will see Renault cut its stake in Nissan to 15% from 43% — matching the size of Nissan's stake in Renault — and Nissan gain reciprocal voting rights. Under the deal, to be finalized by mid-year, Nissan will also invest in the French automaker's new Ampere EV business. Imbalance had long riled Nissan executives who complained Renault did not pay its fair share of costs for innovation and development. Nissan's emerging strategy reflects a belief within the automaker that the 23-year-old alliance has run its course for many of the biggest challenges it faces, the people said. While Nissan sees continued savings in shared parts procurement with Renault, it has no plan to provide engineering support to Ampere, said two of the people, who all asked not to be identified because talks between the pair are ongoing. It also has no plan to provide its e-Power hybrid technology to a gasoline powertrain-focused joint venture Renault has with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd and Saudi Aramco Base Oil Co JSC, two of the people said. GOING SOLO Such go-it-alone thinking is shaping a longer-term plan that could be announced by year-end focusing on improved operational performance, electrification and software allowing self-driving and other "connected car" features, one of the people said. "Even if Renault gets something from Nissan, benefits moving in the other direction are hard," a second person with knowledge of Nissan's stance said.

Nissan puts Around View Monitor on ocean-exploring robots [w/video]

Capable as it may be, we wouldn't advise driving your crossover to the bottom of the ocean. Nissan, however, is doing the next best thing by putting its Around View Monitor on seabed-crawling robots. The partnership brings Nissan together with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and Topy Industries, a leading manufacturer of robotic crawlers. Nissan supplies the Around View Monitor it usually puts in its crossovers and SUVs, which Topy installs on its Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and JAMSTEC sends to the ocean floor. The project even enjoys support from the Japanese cabinet through its Strategy Innovation Promotion program that aims to bring private-sector innovation to government projects. With Nissan's 360-degree camera technology, JAMSTEC and Topy hope to "uncover the mysteries of the oceans," and seem to be going about it a smarter way than submerging a landlubber like the Juke or Rogue to car-crushing depths. Just what they'll uncover remains to be seen, but we're looking forward to finding out, and applaud the initiative. Of course, Nissan isn't the first automaker to deploy its technologies in robots to explore undiscovered worlds: Toyota recently lent its voice-recognition system to the Kirobo project that put a pint-sized robot in orbit to converse with the astronauts in the International Space Station. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. NISSAN AVM TECH TO GO UNDERWATER FOR DEEP SEA EXPLORATION - Nissan's Around View Monitor (AVM) technology will help remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) search for natural resources in the Earth's oceans - Nissan's AVM is building block of company's autonomous drive technology - Featured across Nissan's crossover range including best-selling new Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail Nissan is providing its unique Around View Monitor (AVM) technology to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and Topy Industries, Ltd., through a joint development project that may help uncover the mysteries of the oceans. The joint development contract with JAMSTEC and Topy, one of the top manufacturers of robot crawlers in Japan, will enhance the government agency's ability to search deep underwater for natural resources using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Nissan's AVM technology will help ROV operators avoid obstacles and navigate the ocean seafloor more easily.

Nissan working on unspecified improvements to Carwings in Leaf EV

Fly a little higher, Carwings. Nissan has been using the communication system as a way for drivers of the battery-electric Leaf to do things like use a smartphone start the charging process remotely, check the charging status or find nearby charging stations. The service was one of the tools Nissan was offering to newbie drivers of the first US mass-produced electric vehicle to better familiarize themselves with ideas like recharging your car from miles away. Now, three-plus years into the model's lifetime, Nissan is looking to get more out of Carwings, Wards Auto says, citing Nissan North America executive Robyn Williams. Specifically, Nissan is hoping Carwings will eventually be able to communicate information about the battery's health, or lack thereof (i.e. degradation) to the driver. That issue was made clear a couple of years ago when Leaf drivers in hot-weather locales such as Arizona said their batteries were losing capacity at a faster rate than advertised. Nissan North America spokesman Brian Brockman, in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen, would only say that the automaker "is always working to determine ways to offer more value to customers via telematics systems like Carwings," but declined to be more specific about any particular technological advancements. Nissan debuted Carwings in late 2010, and, among other things, the concept was novel because it let Leaf drivers compare driving efficiency with other Leaf drivers (think of it as a real silent hypermiling contest). The feature had been used as a telecommunications system on a number of Nissan models in Japan for years before being introduced on the Leaf.