Nissan Futures 2019 presents Asia and Oceania’s future mobility trends

HONG KONG, March 14, 2019 – Nissan Futures in Hong Kong brought forward three mobility trends for the Asia and Oceania region: cars as energy assets, the human role in autonomous driving systems and the importance of safety in mobility innovations.

The seventh edition of the global event was held from 8-10 March in Hong Kong. Under the theme ‘Transform the way we live and drive,’ it brought together representatives from 13 countries to discuss how vehicles, cities and mobility infrastructures are evolving. Government representatives, industry leaders and Nissan executives spoke on the future of mobility and the future of cities, identifying three trends:

1. Vehicles as mobile energy units

Panellists discussed whether the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) could lie in reimagining usage from just a mode of transportation, to a means to power homes and return energy to the grid.

“Would cars be treated differently if they were seen as an energy asset first, and a transportation method second?” said Tim Washington founder of JET Charge Australia, panellist on the ‘Transform the way we live: Future of Cities’ panel.

Nicholas Thomas, global director of Nissan’s electric vehicle division, proposed that electrification of mobility could be a solution to energy market disruption. He showcased how EV batteries can be used on a larger scale to power homes, office and the grid.

2. Humans still need to form the centre of car and future technology interactions

Current autonomous vehicle discussions largely centre on technology. Participants however agreed that humans will still hold the key to transforming mobility and our cities.

“We can think, we can sense, we can act. And this is what cars need to do as well. Autonomous driving is about how human systems and cars interact. Show me a system without humans, and I show you a useless system,” explained Dr. Maarten Sierhuis, chief technology officer at the Nissan Research Center in Silicon Valley.

“We need efficiency but we need our cities to maintain their character and flavor,” explained Leonido Pullido, III, assistant secretary of the department of energy for the Philippines.

3. Next frontier for smart mobility: zero fatalities

The Future of Mobility panel presented how creating zero accidents and safety should be the main driver behind technology innovations.

“Smart mobility can improve society in many ways but the primary objective should be to reduce death and injury. Road accidents are a big global issue, every 25 seconds one person dies,” said panellist Iim Fahima from Queenrides in Indonesia. “We need an integrated solution with the primary objective to reduce road deaths.”

“Nissan is proud to provide the platform for discussing mobility trends at Nissan Futures 2019. With increasing pressure on our cities from urbanization and congestion, collaboration between public and private parties is essential to keep our societies liveable. As the leader in electrification, we are committed to continue to accelerate the adoption of electrified mobility in Asia and Oceania to help transform the way we drive, but also the way we live,” said Yutaka Sanada, regional senior vice president for Nissan Asia & Oceania.

At Nissan Futures, Nissan announced that the new Nissan LEAF will go on sale in Indonesia and the Philippines by 2020, underscoring Nissan's commitment to drive electrification in the region. The expanded availability of the world's best-selling electric vehicle is an important part of Nissan's goal to electrify one fourth of its sales volume under its midterm plan, Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022. Nissan also announced it is working on making electrification of mobility more accessible through electrification components assembly and localization in key Southeast Asian markets.

Nissan Futures is timed in conjunction with the 2019 HKT Hong Kong E-Prix race. Nissan participated in the race with two vehicles through the Nissan e.dams team, thereby demonstrating technology transfer from high-performance e-racing to mass market vehicles.

About Nissan Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Nissan was established in Japan since 1933 with the commitment to create Innovation that Excites for customer satisfaction. Nissan wants to improve quality of life for people in society by pursuing a goal of zero emission vehicles and zero fatalities on the road with “Nissan Intelligent Mobility”. The company plans to introduce autonomous drive vehicles across regions for safety and more enjoyable driving experience. Nissan started business in Thailand since 1952. Currently, the Nissan Group of Companies in Thailand has subsidiaries five companies, including two of the production bases, over than 190  showrooms and service centers nationwide network. Vehicle range cover all segments includes 10 models spanning the entry level Eco-Car, SUV, Premium Sedans and Pickup Trucks.

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.

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