Nissan IMs Concept exercises full autonomy

At NAIAS, Nissan is presenting the IMs Concept, a study of a fully electrically powered sports saloon designed for autonomous driving. The drive comes from one electric motor per axle that all-together mobilise 360 kW of power and 800 Nm of torque.

A battery pack with a capacity of 115 kWh gives this BEV a range of 600 km. On the outside, the smooth and futuristic appearance of the sports saloon is highlighted by an extremely thin roof structure with gold-patterned smoked glass and invisible door handles. Exterior cameras replace the conventional exterior mirrors that fold down in autonomous driving mode.

Another highlight is the view inside the vehicle: the seats are arranged in the 2+1+2 layout, i.e. the front seats can be rotated, while the rear row either offers space for three passengers or is transformed into a lounge-like chair by folding away the narrow side seats. In addition, the rear doors of the four-door body open in opposite directions, providing a generous entry area without a B-pillar.

“Technical advances in electric vehicles and autonomous driving have allowed our designers to move away from the platform and packaging rules that apply to conventional vehicles,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President of Design for Nissan. “With the IMs Concept, they have created a new type of car that pushes the boundaries of sedan design and takes the segment to a new level in terms of looks and functionality.

As far as infotainment is concerned, the IMs Concept shines with all kinds of refinements. Four compact, horizontally arranged screens form the large and narrow instrument panel. An extremely thin, floating monitor consisting of two levels serves as an eye-catcher in this area. Nissan is particularly proud of the fact that the newly developed I2V platform in the saloon allows a combination of real and virtual reality – for example, at the touch of a button, drivers on their own can get a virtual passenger in the form of a three-dimensional avatar.

nissan-global.com, carscoops.com, nissannews.com (quotes Albaisa in German)