ROME – Once upon a time, before the electric age, the problem was reversed: it was necessary to produce cars that were not too noisy, both for those who drove them and for those who heard them speeding along the street. Now, on the other hand, zero-emission cars are too quiet, which is why they can pose a danger to pedestrians who don’t hear them coming. A nice headache that Nissan has solved with “Canto”, a new AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) that “shoots” sound effects in the direction of other road users. Created in Japan by the team of Marco Fioravanti, current Regional Vice President, Product Planning AMIEO, “Canto” debuted aboard the new Leaf MY2021 to be then adapted for Europe at the Nissan Technical Center Europe.
How does it work? The designers started from the methods of perception of sound waves and processing by the human ear, to develop a sound system recognizable in urban contexts and on European roads. The sound varies in tone in the acceleration, deceleration or reverse phases, and the system is activated automatically, integrating with the surrounding context. The result is a sound that is heard clearly, without being invasive or alarming for pedestrians and passengers.
Aside from the new “Canto” system, the new Leaf MY21 offers a mix of smart driving, connectivity and sustainable mobility functions, with In-Car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention (IBSI) and Intelligent Rear View Mirror (IRVM) as standard. Available in the 40kWh version in the Acenta, Business, N-Connecta and Tekna versions and in the 62kWh version in the Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna versions, it has a price list starting at 20,800 euros.
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