KEY POINTS:
I've always had a soft spot for the Nissan Skyline - I've got two myself, an old but good R32 GT-R from my boy racer days I keep in Auckland and a newer shape R33 model I occasionally unleash in Wellington.
So I was happy to spend a good amount of time at the Ceatec show in Japan checking out the new Nissan Skyline coupe that was on display.
It's an impressive vehicle though I'm not convinced about the new shape, it's too...curvy. Give me an old R32 any day. Still, I was particularly impressed with some of the new technology Nissan has built into the Skyline. The communications tools built into the sleek red car have been dubbed the Nissan Car Wings.
This is what I'm talking about: "The model is equipped with sensors developed with Nissan's new "pop-up engine hood" technology. When the sensors embedded in the front bumper detect an impact with a pedestrian, the control unit of the system activates a pyrotechnic actuator that raises the rear edge of the hood, creating a larger, protective buffer space to help cushion the impact to the pedestrian's head."
Only the Japanese would come up with that. There's also an "around view monitor" which shows the view around the car from a bird's eye viewpoint, and Distance Control Assist which exerts resistance on the accelerator pedal when you get too close to the car in front - great for compulsive tailgaters.
There's even a safety system that uses 3G mobile technology to detect pedestrians in the vicinity who are carrying 3G GPS phones. In New Zealand, that's nobody, but in Japan, that's a good portion of the
population.
