- Title: Renault-Nissan CEO says excited by "connected" driverless car future
- Date: 8th November 2016
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) CARLOS GHOSN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RENAULT-NISSAN, SAYING: "It's the combination between connectivity and autonomy which makes it very exciting. Why, because now the car becomes a mobile space, connected, where you can have video conference, you can see a movie, talk to your kids, your team, you can consult your doctor. There are plenty of things you can do and you decide when you want to do it, when you don't want to do it. If you want to drive, you can drive, if you want to sit on the side, study, read, finish a letter, do your homework. That's what's most exciting. Because you're giving back to the consumer the two hours he's losing everyday driving. This is the average time that a person owning a car spends in the car in a day, worldwide. During these two hours, you do nothing, you can maybe listen to some music, that's all. Now if we can use this, or part of these two hours, working, reading, connecting, explaining, it's a huge transformation for the traveller." WEB SUMMIT CEO PADDY COSGRAVE ON CENTRE STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) CARLOS GHOSN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RENAULT-NISSAN, SAYING: "I can tell you that I feel comfortable with the decision, particularly when I noticed how much the British government was attached on the competitiveness of the plant as much as we are, which is always reassuring, that we have the same agenda and we have the same concerns, and as long as these concerns are addressed, we are fine." AUDIENCE AT WEB SUMMIT
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2016 18:12
- Keywords: portgual web summit ghosn carlos renault nissan economy
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00357L6JD9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The most exciting part of the technology in driverless cars will be the one used in the extra two hours drivers will gain per day when they no longer have to sit behind the wheel, the chief executive of Renault-Nissan said on Tuesday (Nov 8).
Speaking to Reuters at the Web Summit being held this week in Lisbon, Carlos Ghosn said these extra two hours - the average time spent by drivers behind the wheel worldwide - will open an entire new world of technological possibilities.
"The most exciting technology is the combination of connected (cars) and autonomous (driving)," Ghosn told Reuters. "Now the car becomes a mobile space, connected, where you can have a video conference, see a movie, talk to your kids or consult your doctor."
Technology for driverless cars was one of the hottest topics at the Web Summit, which is one of Europe's biggest gatherings of technology startups.
Ghosn said driverless cars are already a reality as the first models offering single-lane, autonomous driving on motorways already exist.
Subsequent "waves" of autonomous driving are likely to include multiple-lane highway driving in 2018 and then the technology for autonomous driving in cities should be ready by 2020, he said.
"Then, after 2020 you'll have the driverless cars, the cars without the driver," he said.
He expected fully driverless cars to come only much later as the technology to make them a reality needs to be completely flawless and regulation will take longer.
Ghosn would not give any details of the decision by Nissan to build two new models in Britain despite the country's decision to leave the European Union in a referendum in June.
"I can say I feel comfortable with the decision," he said, adding that it was a decision taken after long discussion and talks with the British government.
He would not elaborate on what those talks involved, saying only "it's up to them (the British government) to tell you." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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