Nissan unveils Propilot with safety caution

Nissan Motor Co. has unveiled a new technology that allows nearly hands-free highway cruising as its next step toward self-driving cars.

The automaker, however cautioned that automakers must warn about proper usage after the recent fatal crash of a self-driving Tesla.

Nissan’s new technology, dubbed ProPILOT, will be deployed first in a redesigned Serena family van scheduled to go on sale in Japan in August.

The company said on Wednesday in a statement that the technology would be offered in the Qashqai crossover in Europe next year.

ProPILOT enables single-lane semiautonomous driving in highway conditions. It follows the car ahead, tracks lane markers and judges curves, the company said.

According to the statement, the technology keeps a safe distance from the preceding vehicle by modulating speed and can apply brakes to bring the car to a complete stop when necessary.

It also self-steers the car to keep the vehicle centered in the lane and traveling smoothly around curves.

While the system allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel, it doesn’t tolerate doing so.

A torque sensor on the steering column senses whether a hand is at helm. If not, a warning light comes on.

If the driver still doesn’t take hold, a warning beeper starts to chime. If there is no grip for several seconds, the self-driving function disengages.

Nissan stressed that automakers must take the initiative in warning drivers about the limitations of self-driving technology and in reminding drivers that they are the final line of defense against crashes.

The safety of autonomously driving systems has come under heightened scrutiny following a deadly May crash of a Tesla Model S in the United States.