Nissan Tests New Self-Driving Car in Japan

Lesson made on March 11, 2025

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Reading Lesson:

In Japan, Nissan is testing a driverless car that can traffic rules on its own. The car uses 14 cameras, nine radars, and six special sensors to “see” the road and avoid obstacles. Japan is home to many famous car companies, but it has been slower than the U.S. and China in developing self-driving technology. Now, Japan is trying to catch up. Google is also bringing self-driving taxis to Japan this year, starting in Tokyo.

Japan has allowed some self-driving vehicles already, but they are mostly small, slow-moving cars in certain areas. For example, there is a tiny self-driving vehicle in a rural area and a bus near Tokyo’s airport, but these move much more slowly than regular cars. Nissan’s self-driving car is different because it can drive at normal speeds. However, for now, a human is still monitoring the car remotely and can take control if needed.

One problem with self-driving cars is responsibility. When a person is driving, it is clear who is responsible for an accident. But if no one is driving, people may not know who to blame. Experts say that people are more alarmed by accidents with driverless cars than normal crashes.

Nissan says their technology is safe because their cars can look in all directions at once, something a human driver cannot do. If something goes wrong, the car simply stops. During a recent test, a system failure happened, but the car safely came to a stop without any problems.

Comprehension Quiz:

1. What makes Nissan’s self-driving car different from other driverless vehicles in Japan?

a) It can only drive in small areas.
b) It moves at normal speeds like a regular car.
c) It does not have cameras or sensors.
d) It has no human control at all.

2. Why are people more alarmed by accidents with driverless cars?

a) Because driverless cars are slower than regular cars.
b) Because driverless cars are not allowed in cities.
c) Because driverless cars cannot stop in emergencies.
d) Because it is unclear who is responsible for the accident.

3. What is one safety feature of Nissan’s self-driving car?

a) It can repair itself after an accident.
b) It warns pedestrians with a loud alarm.
c) It has two drivers inside at all times.
d) It stops automatically if something goes wrong.

4. What is the role of the human in Nissan’s self-driving car?

a) They drive the car manually at all times.
b) They monitor the car remotely and can take control if needed.
c) They are not involved in the car’s operation.
d) They only test the car in rural areas.

5. What does Nissan say makes their self-driving car safe?

a) It can only look in one direction at a time.
b) It can look in all directions at once, unlike a human driver.
c) It does not need any sensors or cameras.
d) It cannot stop if something goes wrong.

6. Which of these statements is false?

a) Nissan’s self-driving car can drive at normal speeds.
b) Google is bringing self-driving taxis to Japan.
c) Japan is ahead of the U.S. and China in self-driving technology.
d) A human can still take control of Nissan’s self-driving car.

7. What does the article suggest about the future of self-driving cars in Japan?

a) They will never be allowed in Japan.
b) They will only be used in rural areas.
c) They will likely become more common.
d) They will replace all regular cars immediately.

8. How might car companies convince people to trust self-driving cars?

a) By showing that the cars are safer than human drivers.
b) By lowering the price of the cars.
c) By removing all human drivers immediately.
d) By forcing people to use them.

9. What does the article suggest about future self-driving cars?

a) They will become more common as the technology improves.
b) They will always need a human driver.
c) They will demand coffee breaks and holidays like human employees.
d) They will only be used in Japan.

10. What is the main idea of the article?

a) Self-driving cars cause many accidents.
b) Nissan is testing self-driving cars in Japan.
c) Japan is the world leader in self-driving car technology.
d) Self-driving cars will become very common around the world.

Speaking and Writing Activities:

– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.

– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.

1. Would you feel safe in a self-driving car? Why or why not?

2. Do you think people will ever completely stop driving cars? Why or why not?

3. What do you think will happen if a self-driving car gets into an accident? Who should be responsible: the car company, the passenger, or nobody?

More Reading Practice:

Self-driving cars

The idea of self-driving cars has been around for a long time. Scientists and engineers have worked on this technology for many years. In the 1980s, a team at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States created one of the first cars that could drive itself. Their car used computers and sensors to “see” the road and make decisions. Around the same time, a company in Germany also built a car that could drive without a person controlling it.

Later, in the 2000s, big technology companies and car makers became more interested in self-driving cars. Google started working on this technology in 2009 and tested cars that could drive on real roads. Over time, companies like Tesla, Uber, and others improved the technology. Today, self-driving cars are still being tested and developed, but they are not yet perfect. Scientists continue to work on making them safer and better for the future.

Nissan

Nissan is a car company from Japan. It started in 1933 and has grown to become one of the biggest car makers in the world. The company makes many kinds of vehicles, including small cars, trucks, and electric cars. Nissan sells cars in many countries, and people know the brand for its quality and new technology.

One of Nissan’s most famous cars is the Nissan Leaf, an electric car that does not use gasoline. The company also makes sports cars, like the Nissan GT-R, which is known for being very fast. In recent years, Nissan has worked on self-driving technology to make driving safer and easier.

Nissan has factories in different countries, not just in Japan. The company works with other car makers, like Renault and Mitsubishi, to create new technology and improve cars.

Waymo

Waymo is a company that makes self-driving cars. It started in 2009 as a project by Google. At that time, Google wanted to create cars that could drive without a person controlling them. The company tested these cars on real roads and worked to improve the technology.

In 2016, Google made Waymo a separate company. Waymo continued to develop self-driving cars and tested them in different cities. The company wanted to make sure the cars could drive safely in all kinds of weather and traffic. In 2020, Waymo started offering a self-driving taxi service in some places. People could use an app to call a car, and the car would drive them to their destination without a human driver.

Waymo keeps improving its technology to make self-driving cars safer and more common. The company hopes that in the future, more people will use these cars, making transportation easier and reducing accidents.


Link: Nissan Motor Corporation

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