Using AI to maximise driving pleasure

Artificial intelligence can drive for us, but Nissan said its goal in inventing a driverless vehicle is not to replace drivers but rather to perpetuate driving pleasure.
With that aspiration, Nissan’s Brain-to-Vehicle (B2V) inventions, once commercialised over the next five to 10 years or so, promise not to take away the control from drivers.
“I have always thought the driving pleasure is a valuable human asset we have to perpetuate,” said Nissan’s senior innovation researcher, Lucian Gheorghe.
The technology was unveiled to the public earlier this month at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, the world’s gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. This year, the annual event ran from Tuesday to Saturday with Nissan joining the forum to showcase several interesting inventions. Among the big highlights was B2V, the latest development in Nissan’s “Intelligent Mobility” programme. 
Gheorghe, the lead of B2V research at the Nissan Research Centre in Japan, said the system catches signs that the driver’s brain is about to, say, press the throttle, step on the brakes, or turn the steering wheel. Knowing what’s coming next from the driver, the car could help in subtle ways – necessarily by turning the wheel or tromping the accelerator. Instead, if the driver intended to slow down, the car’s AI could ease off on the throttle to settle the suspension, or pre-charge the brakes or move the brake pads closer to the brake rotors.
Or if it’s raining, the AI could lightly apply the brakes to dry them off. If the driver intends to change lanes, it might increase the size or brightness of the blind spot detection lights. If the car has haptic feedback, it could vibrate the seat or steering wheel before the driver starts the lane change to warn of a car in the way.
For the research, the test driver wears a device that looks like a skullcap or headset, with wiring leads coming off the back. 
The cap measures brain wave activity. It can pick up waves that repeat themselves each time the driver encounters a given situation. In this way, it can both detect and predict.
The system could also detect driver discomfort or fatigue. If the car is autonomous or semi-autonomous, Gheorghe says, AI could “change the driving configuration or driving style”.
The B2V system interprets brain activities to assist with driving. For example, it helps speed up reactions and facilitates systems that maximise driving pleasure. According to Nissan, the system learns from the driver. With this information they could then help take action, such as turning the steering wheel or slowing the car – 0.2 to 0.5 seconds faster than the driver – while remaining largely imperceptible.
“There is no need to fear that the brain-monitoring devices will decipher and steal their users’ thoughts, said Gheorghe. “Just to make things clear, this technology is not reading thoughts. It’s not mind-reading technology”. 
The B2V demonstration provided this year’s CES-goers a cool glimpse into what future holds for the world of mobility, a future with more autonomy, more electrification and more connectivity.
“When most people think about autonomous driving,” said Nissan executive VP Daniele Schillaci, “they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines. Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable.”
Aside from B2V, Nissan showcased an IMx concept car to thrill those who love autonomous driving. Unveiled first in Japan, the car joined the new electric car LEAF on display at CES. IMx came with advanced technologies including ProPILOT, e-Pedal and enhanced connectivity.
Equipped with ProPILOT that offers fully autonomous operation, the IMx can stow the steering wheel inside the dashboard and recline all seats, giving the driver more space and allowing the vehicle’s occupants to relax and enjoy their commute. 
When the “manual” drive mode is selected, the vehicle returns the steering wheel and seats to their original position, seamlessly transferring control back to the driver. It also comes with an automated parking function, able to find its way to a vacant spot on its own even without a 
driver inside.