What Is Nissan ProPilot Assist?

Nissan will soon offer two versions of this driver-assistance technology.

Andy Stonehouse | 

Mar 21, 2023 | 2 min read

Nissan

Nissan ProPilot Assist mixes adaptive cruise control and steering assistance to make highway travels less tedious for the driver. When engaged — via a button on the steering wheel — the system will follow the flow of traffic, automatically slowing, stopping, and returning the vehicle to a set speed without the driver’s intervention. It’ll also provide gentle steering inputs to help the driver keep the vehicle centered in its lane.

The tech — which first appeared on the 2018 Nissan Rogue — relies on a forward-facing radar sensor to measure the vehicle’s following distance and a camera at the top of the windshield to monitor the lane markings.

Moreover, on certain vehicles, when the driver selects a route via the built-in navigation system, ProPilot Assist (with Navi-Link) can use the map data to inform its actions, optimizing performance.

Drivers must keep their hands on the wheel at all times. If the system determines you’ve let go, it will offer visual and audible warnings before pulsing the brakes. Continue to flout the hands-on rule and ProPilot Assist will slow the car to a stop and activate the hazard lights.

What is ProPilot Assist 2.0?

This fall, Nissan will introduce a more advanced version of its driver-assistance system in the 2023 Ariya electric crossover. Called ProPilot Assist 2.0 (and sometimes marketed as ProPilot 2.0), it uses high-definition map data and a litany of sensors to enable single-lane, hands-free driving on certain divided highways. The driver must select a route in the navigation system for this to work.

Should the driver wish to make a lane change while in hands-off mode, they simply need to grab the wheel and activate the turn signal. The vehicle will then carry out the task. ProPilot Assist 2.0 can also determine when it's safe to pass a slow-moving vehicle and prompt the driver to take control of the steering wheel to complete the maneuver.

It’s important to remember that no production vehicle is self-driving. Drivers using ProPilot Assist 2.0’s hands-free feature must remain alert and ready to take over at a moment’s notice.

Which Models Have ProPilot Assist?

Nissan reserves ProPilot Assist for mid- and top-tier trims of the Altima, Leaf, Pathfinder, Rogue, and Rogue Sport. You’ll also find it on the base Ariya, when it arrives later this year.

Unless you already have a reservation for a high-level Ariya, you may have to wait awhile to get a Nissan with ProPilot Assist 2.0. At present, that’s the only model to offer this tech, and the automaker has stopped accepting pre-orders for it.

Andy Stonehouse

Andy Stonehouse literally fell into the world of auto writing while working as a ski-town journalist, and has not looked back since. A childhood spent dealing with the eccentricities of a 1976 MG Midget has made any subsequent auto experience a more safe and reliable drive. He has been blessed with nearby mountain trails and snowy roads in Colorado to do TV-adventure-styled test drives on a weekly basis.