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Half of all drivers believe that the main personal benefit to autonomous or self-driving cars will be the ability to do other things behind the wheel than watch the road. That's according to a new study, carried out by think-tank Policy Network and sponsored by Nissan. The survey quizzed 6,000 respondents across six European countries.
It found that 58 per cent said that one of the biggest overall advantages to autonomous cars will be the ability for more people to be able to travel more easily, while 52 per cent say that a reduction in accidents thanks to robotic control will be of benefit to society. Significantly, almost a quarter of those who answered would consider buying an autonomous car in the next five years.
Paul Willcox, Chairman of Nissan Europe, said: "This independent report highlights that we are in the midst of a social and economic revolution. It shows that autonomous technology will have a fundamental impact not just on the automotive industry but across European economies and societies and it suggests that leadership within all levels of government is needed.
"At Nissan we believe, for the full benefits of autonomous drive technologies to be realised, governments and municipalities across Europe should review the report's findings, work hand in hand with the automotive industry, and play a vital role in ushering in this new technological era. What's clear from the research published today is that political decisions makers across Europe need to prioritise autonomous vehicle policies to create a favorable environment that will see this technology flourish. The customers want it, and are starting to see the benefits of an autonomous future, but we need the right legislative environment to enable this exciting new era of mobility to thrive.
"We strongly advocate that policy makers continue to work collaboratively with industry, so that together we can ensure that the many social and economic benefits highlighted today are made a reality in Europe."
Willcox was speaking at the Nissan Futures event in Amsterdam where the company was launching not a new car but an innovative way to dispose of old ones. Nissan has teamed up with power management company Eaton and electric power innovators Mobile House to create a new range of rechargeable industrial and domestic batteries called xStorage. These units, which are made from the recycled batteries of Nissan Leaf electric cars, and which have gone past their useful life in motoring terms, are designed to act as an electricity storage system for houses or for commercial premises. The idea is that the batteries can be topped up from either the mains (at off-peak times) or from solar power (when it's sunny enough) and then the consumer or the business can use the power stored in the batteries at expensive high-demand times of the day.
The xStorage packs are currently available to pre-order in the UK, Norway and Germany and cost between €3,500 and €5,000 plus VAT and fitting.
Nissan, Mobile House and Eaton announced a deal with the vast Amsterdam Arena, home of Ajax football club which has signed up to a massive battery pack installation, consisting of the equivalent of 280 recycled Leaf battery packs, which will keep the lights on, both for the stadium and some surrounding housing, if there's a power cut.
Frank Campbell, President, Eaton Electrical and Corporate EMEA said: "European consumers are increasingly demanding alternative energy management solutions. Working in partnership with Nissan, we have developed a range of affordable, ready to use home energy storage solutions, giving consumers a choice of six options. While other home energy storage products are available on the market, we aim to avoid hidden extra costs and achieve the lowest possible total cost of ownership."
Henk Markerink, CEO of the Amsterdam Arena, said: "We're talking about a huge advantage in sustainability. Soon we will be able to store generated energy from our solar panels and windmills and put it to use when we need it. A great innovation - in the future, the Amsterdam Arena will be the first stadium in the world that won't be using fossil fuels anymore."
Paul Willcox added: "The future holds immense possibilities for those who are brave enough to embrace disruption and pioneer future technologies. It is our ambition to use our passion and expertise from over 100 years in the automotive business to help us live cleaner, safer, more sustainable lives. Our Intelligent Integration strategy is growing, our Intelligent Driving strategy is being delivered and our Intelligent Power plans are bigger and bolder than ever before.
"Today we're excited to share these developments with the world because we're convinced they will help spark a social revolution in intelligent mobility services and energy management."