A new Nissan Qashqai is due to debut in 2021 and it looks set to be more connected than ever before. The popular SUV has been a best seller in the UK market and with electric and hybrid power options, plus features like ProPilot, it looks likely to be strong contender in the family car segment. For insurers it’s worth noting that a Tracker is standard, there’s an automated speed limit braking ADAS system and driving style data recording, plus analysis via app.
Here’s the news from Nissan;
CONNECTED CONTROL
The new Qashqai offers an advanced infotainment system with a class-leading portfolio of connected services including effortless integration of smartphones, In-Car Wi-Fi for up to seven devices and NissanConnect Services, a dedicated app to control and monitor the vehicle.
The larger, higher resolution 9 inch NissanConnect display screen is a digital gateway to navigation, entertainment and vehicle settings, and is compatible with both Android Auto® and Apple CarPlay®, with wireless Apple CarPlay® also introduced. Multiple user profiles with memory settings allow navigation, music and system preferences to be tailored to each driver.
A new high-definition, fully electronic 12.3 inch TFT multi-information screen offers a choice of configurable layouts to display navigation, entertainment, traffic or vehicle information, all controlled from a new tactile dial switch on the steering wheel. A traditional “Kiriko” cut glass texture is also added to the TFT’s digital background – a nod to Nissan’s Japanese DNA.
LARGE HUD FOR THE DRIVER
An innovative new 10.8-inch Head-Up Display (HUD) provides the biggest-in-segment image size. Key navigation, driver assistance and road information are projected onto the windscreen within the driver’s line of vision, allowing drivers to maintain their focus on the road for more comfort and confidence at the wheel.
Home-to-Car skills are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa devices, with Alexa functionality introduced for the third generation Qashqai. The system supports a wide range of commands, including the ability for drivers to send destinations to the car’s navigation by talking to their smart device, minimising the time required to input the destination.
Through the NissanConnect smartphone app, vehicle control functions are available such as remote horn and lights, as well as remote door lock and unlock. Smart alerts can also be set including speed, time and zone with app notifications should the vehicle exceed the set parameters.
Introduced for new Qashqai are Vehicle Health reports, viewable through the app, which inform users if their vehicle requires urgent maintenance and provides live performance evaluation and any malfunction alerts.
Driving history and analysis is also available through the app, so users can see past trips summarised in distance driven and time spent.
If not using their phone’s navigation, drivers can access TomTom 3D Maps & Live Traffic which includes advanced navigation features such as over-the-air map updates, real-time traffic conditions, Google Street View, speed camera locations and fuel prices. Door-to-door navigation is also available through the app including a My Car Finder function.
TRACKER SECURITY AS STANDARD
Stolen Vehicle Tracking is introduced for new Qashqai. This service provides a 24/7 contact with police and third-party customer services, with automatic theft notification through the NissanConnect smartphone app, allowing vehicles to be tracked and recovered.
An in-car button, accessed via the NissanConnect display screen, allows customers to contact a 24/7 assistance provider to put them in contact with the nearest breakdown and towing services. Unlike eCall, the system is not automatically triggered by an accident.
In a first for the Qashqai, a front storage console provides convenient 15w wireless charging for smartphones – among the most powerful in the segment – and accommodating even the largest dimensions of devices, including the recently-launched Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Connectivity extends to all occupants with the console box now offering front and rear USB charging connections with both USB-A and USB-C ports.
Further reflecting the model’s Japanese DNA, the information sounds of the new Qashqai, for example the seatbelt reminder and turn signals, were developed in collaboration with Japanese video game developer and publisher Bandai Namco. The sounds have been developed to be more harmonious, with a melodic dual tone signature.
“We’ve introduced a high level of connectivity to the new Qashqai which will allow our customers to monitor their car, communicate with it and be reassured by it via their home assistant devices or smartphones. But, at the heart of these new features is convenience and ease of use for our customers,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Vice President, Brand and Customer Experience, Nissan Automotive Europe.
PRO PILOT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SLOW YOU DOWN TO THE SPEED LIMIT
The new Qashqai will be equipped with the next generation of ProPILOT driver assistance, bringing greater driver support in a wider array of circumstances. Called ProPILOT with Navi-link, the system has been designed to reduce fatigue and stress while driving, while being very intuitive to use.
ProPILOT with Navi-link is able to accelerate and brake the vehicle within a single-lane on a highway. The system can accelerate the vehicle to cruise at a set speed, and can brake the vehicle down to 0 km/h in heavy stop-start traffic. The system is able to resume automatically if the vehicle has been stationary for less than three seconds and the traffic in front of the car moves away.
The steering system and the camera are constantly updating the vehicle’s position, helping the car to stay centred within the lane while maintaining a pre-determined speed but with the capability to adapt and maintain a safe distance to the car in front.
On the all-new Nissan Qashqai, the updated system is now able to adapt the car’s speed according to additional external circumstances: when the car crosses to a lower speed limit zone on the highway, the system is able to read road signs and take into account navigation system speed limit data to slow the Qashqai to the appropriate speed, meaning the driver doesn’t need to adjust the cruise control speed manually.
The system can also use data from the navigation system to adjust the speed for approaching curves or exit ramps that have a tighter radius.
Furthermore, ProPILOT with Navi-link can now communicate with the Qashqai’s blind-spot radars to help intervene with a steering input correction to help prevent a lane-change manoeuvre if there is a vehicle in the blind-spot zone.
Other upgrades include a “flank protection” warning for urban situations, which alerts the driver of the risk of contact with an object on the side of the vehicle, typically when turning into a supermarket parking space. And the new Qashqai can also intervene to prevent a collision upon reversing from the space thanks to an upgrade on the existing Moving Object Detection alert, applying the brakes to stop the car if a moving obstacle is detected nearby.
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