Nissan unveils assisted driving using UK startup Wayve’s AI tech

Nissan has begun testing self-driving cars with UK startup Wayve in Tokyo, inching everyday drivers one step closer to hands-off motoring.

The trials use Nissan’s Ariya electric SUV, fitted with Wayve’s artificial intelligence system, to navigate some of the world’s busiest and most complex streets.

It’s the first public confirmation that Nissan is adopting external AI technology, highlighting how close assisted driving is to becoming a feature in cars consumers can actually buy.

For drivers, the partnership could mean safer, less stressful commutes within just a few years.

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Nvidia recently announced a $500m investment in Wayve

Unlike many competitors, Wayve takes a fresh approach to self-driving cars.

Instead of teaching the car with strict rules for every possible scenario, its AI learns directly from real-world driving data.

By analyzing thousands of hours of footage showing how human drivers respond to tricky conditions, like merging traffic or sudden pedestrians, the system becomes more adaptable and intuitive.

For anyone who has navigated Tokyo or London rush-hour chaos, that adaptability could make the difference between smooth driving and constant stress.

At launch, the technology won’t be fully driverless.

Nissan plans to introduce an ‘eyes on, hands off’ system, known in the industry as Level 2 assisted driving.

That means the car can steer, accelerate, and brake on its own, but drivers will still need to keep watch and be ready to take control.

Think of it as an advanced co-pilot rather than a chauffeur, unlike self-driving car companies like Waymo.

Over time, as confidence and regulations catch up, the system could expand toward true ‘eyes off’ driving, where you can relax while the car takes full control.

Behind the scenes, tech giant Nvidia is playing a major role.

Its chips power both the computers inside Wayve-equipped vehicles and the massive data centers where the AI learns from driving footage.

Nvidia has already signed a letter of intent to invest up to $500 million in Wayve, a move that could speed up how quickly these features make it into mass-market cars.

That’s a big investment, but considering Nvidia is the first company in the world to hit $4 trillion in market value, that’s pretty much a rounding error.

Will autonomous driving be affordable for everyday drivers?

For drivers, affordability will be key.

Luckily, the news here is also promising.

Nissan’s setup uses a mix of cameras, radar, and lidar sensors, offering safety redundancy while keeping costs practical.

In a way, it’s a combination of its rivals Tesla and Waymo, which focuses on cameras and lidar respectively.

Wayve’s founder Alex Kendall stresses that the goal is technology that can be built into everyday cars, not just luxury models.

If successful, this collaboration could make assisted driving as common and affordable as cruise control.

This will offer drivers less stress on long trips and safer city navigation, while giving them a taste of what self-driving cars have to offer.

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