Nissan will be unveiling its new Note compact hatch in Geneva next month and with it a whole host of safety features that have typically been reserved for high-end models.
Nissan calls the conglomeration of safety systems the “Nissan Safety Shield.” The Nissan Safety Shield is comprised of a blind spot warning system, a lane departure warning system, the around view monitor system, and a moving object detection system.
Blind spot warning system alerts the driver of the Note when another vehicle has entered its blind spot by illuminating a light in the side view mirror. Should the driver not notice and activate the turn signal, indicating a merge in the direction of the vehicle in the blind spot, the Note will flash the warning light and make a tone in the cabin.
Lane departure warning alerts the driver of the Note when the vehicle crosses a lane marker line on either the right or left hand side of the vehicle. The system will only flash and chime, however, if the lane departure was not intended. If the driver signals a lane change, the system will not activate.
Moving Object Detection works by way of the reverse camera mounted in the rear tailgate of the Nissan Note. Should the system detect a moving object behind or near the rear end of the car, it will – like the other two systems – chime. Moving Object Detection will also create a yellow frame when viewing the rear view camera image on the 5.8-inch LCD screen.
Lastly, we have our favorite feature and one that we feel all vehicles should have: the around view monitor. The system digitally stitches together images from cameras mounted in the front grille, tailgate and both door mirrors to create a virtual 360-degree “helicopter” view around the car, with a graphical birds eye view of the Note in the center. This might sound a bit hokey but once you get used to it, no other rear view camera parking system feels as adequate.
Additionally, the new Nissan Note will be offered with two engines: a 1.2-liter gasoline engine and a 1.5-liter turbo diesel engine, which AutoBlog Green reports will achieve 65 MPG. No matter the engine, the Nissan Note will feature an auto stop/start system, which shuts down the engine at stoplights.
It’s not clear if the Nissan Note or some variant will be offered Stateside, but with all its proposed driver-assistance technology, we’d welcome it with open arms.
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