Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. is showing off a prototype 'Contemporary Lifestyle Vehicle.' The bespoke vehicle is based on the iconic Japan-market Nissan Skyline introduced in 1957, originally built by Japan’s Prince Motor Company. Production lasted from 1957 until 1966, when Prince and Nissan merged and the Skyline evolved into the GT-R.
Nissan says the new prototype is the result of a "free ideas and ingenuity", or bricolage, approach. Designed for the modern lifestyles of users, it's packed with more than 25 breakthrough features that can help users comfortably eat, sleep, and play in the car. For example, the side mirrors double for dust bins, the visor can transform into a table, and a smartphone holder extends from the steering wheel for use when parked. Other features include a bottle heater, blanket storage and head rest storage.
You can check out the cool features in the video below:
Nissan says creating this usability without compromising the vehicle's functionality, as well as its looks, meant introducing devices through a process of trial and error and fusing them with AI. Nissan say this allowed the automaker to achieve surprising functions not imaginable from the outside appearance. Nissan say a 'bricolage' approach instead of a conventional engineering one helped the team reach something beyond expectations.
Tetsuro Ueda, an expert leader in Nissan's Mobility & AI Laboratory, said: "Innovation to enrich people's lives is our corporate purpose. But, innovation is not limited to unprecedented advanced technologies such as electrification and intelligence. Innovation is also about finding new possibilities in what already exists and finding ways to make experience more pleasant. Bricolage is well-suited for this kind of innovation. Above all, it was a lot of fun for us to prototype. This Contemporary Lifestyle Vehicle is a modern interpretation of the idea of eating, sleeping and playing in a sedan. We believe that innovation from bricolage is also effective in addressing sustainability issues. The Contemporary Lifestyle Vehicle is just the first step in demonstrating the impact of bricolage on manufacturing. We will continue to explore innovations and deliver excitement."