New Nissan Note wins "Safetybest 2013" for its revolutionary safety shield technology

2013/12/19

NEW NISSAN NOTE WINS "SAFETYBEST 2013" FOR ITS REVOLUTIONARY SAFETY SHIELD TECHNOLOGY

• New Nissan Note awarded "SAFETYBEST 2013" in annual AUTOBEST awards
• Annual awards recognises the very best in motoring amongst the emerging markets of Europe
• Nissan's revolutionary Safety Shield alerts drivers to potential dangers on the road

ROLLE, Switzerland (December 18th, 2013): Nissan is celebrating this week, as the manufacturer scooped this year's "SAFETYBEST 2013" award from AUTOBEST. The award, which recognises the very best in advanced safety systems, has been given to Nissan for its innovative Safety Shield system introduced on the all-new Nissan Note.

Ilia Seliktar, AUTOBEST Jury President, commented: "We're pleased to award the Nissan Note "SAFETYBEST 2013" for its innovative Safety Shield system. It's the first time such an advanced safety system has been offered to customers of small b-segment cars, marking a significant step forward in the safety of cars in this popular segment."

The SAFETYBEST award looks at new achievements in automotive safety and the judging panel was impressed by the new Nissan Note's Safety Shield system.

Dan Vardie, AUTOBEST Chairman, added: "This year, Nissan Safety Shield was triggering the attention of the Jury because is a new safety system based on things already existing but as a premiere for the small segment. It is simple but very effective, a relevant safety achievement for Nissan Note and an example to be followed by the competitors."

Nissan Safety Shield

The new Note is the first Nissan in Europe to feature the Safety Shield technology.

Linking three advanced systems, Nissan Safety Shield acts as an intelligent co-pilot to the driver to help them to make the best decisions in all situations. The system combines Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning and Moving Object Detection to bring premium technology to the small car sector for the first time.

Genuine engineering innovation has made this possible, with Nissan able to run all Safety Shield functions from one single wide-angle rear camera. What's more, to keep this camera operable in grimy conditions, Nissan has developed an intelligent automatic ‘wash and blow dry' facility to keep the lens clean.

Also making its segment debut is Nissan's acclaimed Around View Monitor, a feature that provides drivers with a remarkable 360-degree bird's eye view to take the stress out of reversing.

Both AVM and Safety Shield are incorporated into the new Note's enhanced NissanConnect satellite navigation, Bluetooth and audio system. Now benefiting from a larger 5.8-inch touch-screen display, the latest system includes Google® ‘Send to Car' navigation software allowing routes planned at home to be transferred directly to the car. Additional connected services include Google® Points of Interest (POI), nearest fuel prices, plus flight and weather information.

Visit http://newsroom.nissan-europe.com/ for the full story on the new Nissan Note.

Note to editors:

The Nissan Safety Shield pack comprises the following three technologies:

Blind Spot Warning 

A feature once reserved for cars in the premium sector, Nissan's system uses the rear wide view AVM camera to detect vehicles in the hidden blind spot areas on both sides of the Note. If a vehicle is detected in either blind spot, a discreet warning light illuminates in the glass of the Note's wing mirror. If the driver indicates to change lanes and the system detects a vehicle in the danger area, the light flashes and an audible warning is given.

Lane Departure Warning 

Another premium feature making its debut in the B-segment, Lane Departure Warning detects if the car is starting to drift out of lane. While you might expect a windscreen mounted camera or radar system to be required for this function, the Note again uses only its rear wide view AVM camera. Advanced computer programming detects even faint road markings allowing the car to determine if it is drifting out of position without indicating.  If it does, a warning is given to the driver to correct their road position. Cleverly, the system automatically adjusts its sensitivity when on rural roads to allow for the different required driving style.

Moving Object Detection 

Building on the capabilities of Around View Monitor, this new function effectively gives the driver a digital co-pilot to help them look at what might be approaching the path of their reversing Note. While conventional parking aids warn the driver of an object in their way, Moving Object Detection gives an audible and visual alert if someone or something is moving behind the car, for example if a child is walking towards your reversing Note. Mounted on the tailgate and having a convex lens, the rear wide view AVM camera has a sweep of vision in excess of 180 degrees, giving it an unparalleled field of vision at the back of the car. Images from the camera are displayed on the 5.8-inch Nissan Connect screen.

About Nissan Motor Co.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with approximately 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

About AUTOBEST

AUTOBEST AMONG EMERGING MARKETS is the motoring organization of the emerging markets of Europe. Established in 2000 in Bucharest Romania, and with 14 countries represented in the jury, AUTOBEST is considered by the automotive industry and customers as the second biggest independent European motoring Jury.

The AUTOBEST organization is the only international independent jury focusing on best-buy choice for mainstream customers. This year, the AUTOBEST members of the Jury are coming from 15 countries in the region, and represent a virtual market with more than 300 million people. Each member of the Jury is an outstanding motoring journalist, a respected voice in his country. AUTOBEST is the second largest independent motoring Jury in Europe.