Nissan and Wayve put robotaxi on the road

Nissan and Wayve have unveiled a new robotaxi prototype. The vehicle is based on the all-electric Nissan Leaf and is to be tested for the first time in Tokyo from the end of 2026 as part of a joint pilot project with Uber. The partners are planning to expand the project to more than ten cities worldwide.

The prototype combines Nissan's vehicle technology with Wayve's AI software and NVIDIA's DRIVE Hyperion reference architecture. The aim is autonomous driving at level four, in which the vehicle operates completely independently in defined areas of operation. To achieve this, Nissan relies on redundant systems that have been specially developed for robotaxi operation. An extensive sensor system will provide the necessary environment recognition. High-resolution cameras with 360-degree coverage, radar and a forward-facing LiDAR sensor are designed to detect even complex traffic situations.

The core of the technology is the so-called "AI Driver" from Wayve. The AI processes sensor data in real time, dispenses with high-resolution maps and instead learns dynamically from traffic situations. This enables it to make safe driving decisions and adapt flexibly to changing conditions.

In the long term, the companies are aiming for a transition from test phases with safety drivers to scalable, commercial robotaxi services. (aum)