Renault-Nissan to launch ten autonomous vehicles by 2020

Plans revealed to bring the technology to the market alongside key rivals and in affordable cars

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(Image credit: Renault Nissan Alliance)

Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced plans to launch at least ten new vehicles with autonomous functions over the next four years.

The technology will be available on "mainstream, mass-market cars at affordable prices" and will go on sale in the US, European, Japanese and Chinese markets.

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The drive towards the new technology will be mated to advances the manufacturers have already made in zero emission and electric powertrains.

"Renault-Nissan Alliance is deeply committed to the twin goals of 'zero emissions and zero fatalities,'" said chairman and chief executive Carlos Ghosn.

The technology itself will be introduced three-fold. This year, the company will introduce "single-lane control" technology that allows autonomous driving capabilities on the motorway. This will be followed in 2018 by the launch of "multiple-lane control", a system which can negotiate hazards and change lanes, before the introduction of "intersection autonomy" in 2020, which will navigate heavy inner-city traffic and junctions without driver input. The driving modes are optional.

Renault-Nissan also revealed plans to introduce new connected-car technologies. Starting with an app allowing owners to interact with their vehicles, features will include deeper smartphone integration into the car's multimedia system while a smart personal assistant will follow.

No models have been revealed or hinted at yet, but Autocar says the Nissan Leaf is a prime candidate to be an early adopter, especially after the recent reveal of the IDS concept at the Toyko Motor Show – a preview of the next generation Leaf with self-driving capabilities that can learn and mimic its driver.

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