Nissan to deploy “Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication” driver aid

15 October 2012

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has developed an “Emergency assist for pedal misapplication (with Carpark Detection Function)” to help reduce accidents caused by pedal misapplication by drivers. This new technology will debut on the new Nissan Elgrand MPV by the end of the year.

The Emergency assist for pedal misapplication technology is aimed at reducing acceleration accidents in parking lots and other spaces where a car could collide with walls if a driver mistakenly depresses the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.

Using the four cameras of the Around View Monitor and ultrasonic sonar, the system detects if the car is currently in a parking space or not; and if there are obstacles such as walls in the direction the vehicle is traveling. The function automatically controls acceleration if necessary and applies the brakes before a collision can occur.

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Nissan has established the Vision Zero safety goal, which aims to help eliminate deaths and serious injuries due to traffic accidents. The principle behind this goal is the concept of the “Safety Shield”, which designates the condition a car experiences into six stages, from “normal driving conditions” through “post-accident conditions.” The Safety Shield works to provide the most effective barrier against sources of danger occurring at each stage. Nissan’s “Emergency assist for pedal misapplication” system is based on this concept.