Nissan is Testing Its Invisible-to-Visible Technology in Japan

We know. The concept of invisibility sounds a bit strange, let alone crazy. We all know that vehicles depend a lot on your vision to move about, so invisibility sounds absurd. But this isn’t what Nissan is talking about. According to Autoblog, Nissan’s Invisible-to-Visible connected-car technology introduced at CES uses “three-dimensional immersion experience that merges virtual reality and avatars of real people with more hum-drum real-world data.”

So basically, Nissan is trying to merge real and digital life using digital projections, and even allows drivers to talk with virtual avatars. According to The Drive, Nissan plans to use I2V technology to show digital avatars of people inside the cars, allowing the passengers inside to talk to someone who isn’t really there. They will do this by combining information taken from sensors inside and outside the vehicle.

Think of it this way: it’s raining outside, and visibility is next to zero. What the I2V does is to anticipate what’s visible to the driver even behind buildings or corner roads. What’s more, you can call on avatars when needed. For instance, you can call on your Mom’s avatar to help you jot down your favorite Pecan Pie recipe. Or you can call on an expert driver to teach you how to fix a flat tire.

The I2V technology, which is part of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility technology, also does another cool thing: it allows drivers too ‘see through buildings,’ allowing the driver to see “what’s not visible to the driver, like pedestrians and other approaching vehicles.”

“The interactive features create an experience that’s tailored to your interests and driving style so that anyone can enjoy using it in their own way,” Tetsuro Ueda, a leader at the Nissan Research Center, said in a statement.