NISSAN HOSTS GOOGLE HANGOUT WITH EX-FORMULA 1 DRIVER JOHNNY HERBERT TO DISCUSS #JUKERIDE PROGRESS
- Google Hangout technology used to provide update on ambitious, social-media led project
- Mentor Johnny Herbert and Nissan's David Parkinson update on fan-contributed ideas about technology and applications for the #JukeRide car
- Advanced in-car telemetrics set to monitor physical and driving performance
- The project has so far seen over 10 million interactions via social media
London, UK (13 June 2013) - Ex-formula 1 driver, motorsport legend and #JukeRide mentor Johnny Herbert and David Parkinson, General Manager, Social & Digital Engagement at Nissan, took part in a Google Hangout to update on progress with #JukeRide, Nissan's ambitious, social media-led project. Advanced in-car technology to monitor drivers' physical attributes, such as heart rate and eye tracking, as well as comprehensive automotive data, is all under consideration for inclusion in the #JukeRide project, which aims to build a state-of-the-art Juke with its own Skycam helicopter. The project is designed to help Nismo's (Nissan Motorsport) team of talented young athletes to push their performances to new heights.
Motorsport enthusiasts from across Europe flew to the UK and joined Johnny Herbert and his team of engineers to brainstorm ideas for the #JukeRide car. Over the course of the weekend, participants were taken to the world-famous racetrack at Silverstone to experience what it's like to be a Nismo athlete for themselves. Using this experience, they then worked with Johnny Herbert to develop innovative ideas for features that could be included. You can watch a video of one of the brainstorming sessions here.
Further brainstorms will be taking place over the coming weeks and Nissan will continue to work with the online community to improve the car, finalise its features and give it a final name. Ideas and submissions can be contributed on Twitter by using the hashtag #JukeRide. Once complete, the car will make its public debut at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours on the 22nd and 23rd June, where fans will be able to see it, touch it and interact with it for the first time. After Le Mans, the car will visit other automotive events throughout the year.
Johnny Herbert and David Parkinson hosted a Google Hangout to update on the brainstorms that have taken place so far, and progress with the project. The main topics that were covered include the technology in the car, social media interaction and future applications for the #JukeRide ideas.
Technology
Although the technology that will be featured in the car has not been completely finalised, there are some key elements which will be included. Following input from the fans and advice from Johnny Herbert, the car will have an extra generator for the engine to produce more power, as well as three screens in the car which allow the athletes to monitor both physical and automotive telemetric data. The telemetric data will measure and analyse physical activity such as brainwaves and heart rate, as well as automotive data such as the throttle, braking and cornering speed, so that the driver has all this information readily available to him as he drives. This kind of analysis is aimed to enhance driver performance in a way that wouldn't have been previously possible.
Other suggestions for technology to be included into the car were more innovative. These included eye-tracking technology, to track exactly where each athlete looks while driving a lap, and adding technology to project a ‘ghost-car' onto the windscreen for athletes to learn the best racing line.
Social media interaction
#JukeRide is a social media led project, so David Parkinson also took the opportunity during the Hangout to update on the volume of social interactions so far.
Since launching in April, #JukeRide has been promoted in social venues including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Vine and YouTube. Overall, there have been over 10 million social interactions, including almost a million YouTube views, 2.5 million Twitter impressions and over 3,000 individual ideas contributed by over 1,000 fans.
The future
While the #JukeRide project initially focuses on enhancing Nismo athlete performance, Johnny Herbert and David Parkinson also touched on potential other uses for the car and its technology.
The Skycam helicopter, for instance, could be used to record unique angles on motorsport races and events. This footage could be brought to viewers via a dedicated app, giving motorsport fans watching on TV an innovative, second screen experience.
David also talked about how learnings from #JukeRide could potentially be applied to other drivers in their everyday lives. For example, smartphone or tablet apps could be used to provide drivers with data similar to that from #JukeRide, and allow them to improve their own personal driving habits.
Speaking after the Hangout, David Parkinson said: "The #JukeRide project is an ambitious one, but we're really pleased with its progress so far and looking forward to revealing the final, crowd-sourced car. Collaborating with the community in person, and via social media channels, has provided so many great ideas that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, and which could actually have applications in many other areas."
The #JukeRide project continues over the coming weeks, and fans can still contribute their ideas for the car, and help to create its final name, via Twitter using the hashtag #JukeRide.
Fans will also be able to see the car in public for the first time at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours on the 22nd and 23rd June.
About Nissan in Europe
What makes Nissan stand out?
Our belief is that everything we do needs to drive innovation and excitement for everyone: we bring unexpected solutions that deliver smart customer benefits and always generate surprise and exhilaration for as many people as possible.
We invented the crossover with Nissan Qashqai and added excitement to small cars with Nissan Juke. We are about innovative ideas that make future technologies available today with Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades. When we think about performance, we see the opportunity to reach a wider audience - making performance truly accessible - and to challenge conventions. This is why on top of conceiving the accessible supercar Nissan GT‑R we have developed the Nissan DeltaWing, a ground-breaking approach to Endurance racing reframing Motorsport conventions.
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All this only reinforces Nissan's clear ambition to become the number one Asian brand in Europe.
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