Charging CEATEC

CHIBA, Japan – There's a growing trend in consumer electronics and IT: cars.

Japan's largest showcase of electronics and information technology, CEATEC, kicked off with three carmakers displaying products in which mobility, electronics and IT intersect.

This is Nissan's sixth year at CEATEC, where market-ready technologies and those capturing a glimpse of the distant future converge.

Last year Mitsubishi joined; this year it's Toyota with a new concept called "Smart INSECT", a single-seater, mini EV that uses motion detectors to recognize a driver's behavior.

"The increased presence of automakers at CEATEC not only underscores the importance of information technology and electronics for autos, but also greater potential for collaboration between the auto industry and the electronics industry."

With 70% of electric vehicles comprised of electronic parts, one might consider cars the biggest of consumer electronics.

Said Nissan COO Toshiyuki Shiga, "The distance between appliance companies and electricity management and the automotive industry is closing more and more."

Nissan proves that, powering its lights and stage with LEAF batteries. That technology debuted last year in Nissan's LEAF-to-Home exhibit, after 3/11 underscored the need for alternate power sources for the community.

Nissan is looking to solve other problems, including traffic congestion and accidents.

The NSC-2015 is focused on time management and security, said Toru Futami, Expert Leader for Nissan's IT & ITS Development department.

"With 90% of accidents caused by human error, we aimed to make a machine that could reduce error to as close to zero as possible and prevent an accident before it happens. Another objective was to reduce time-loss, such as that spent on looking for parking. That can be about 10 minutes lost door-to-door, when all you need to do is get to the entrance," said Futami.

To save you time, the NSC-2015 parks itself and returns to pick you up. A smartphone connected to the Automated Valet Parking technology allows a driver to maintain full control, remotely.

And a new feature to catch any unsuspecting thief by surprise, an all-around view camera can react to suspicious behavior and alert the driver. The driver can then opt to set off an alarm.

As its name suggests, the NSC-2015 will be fully viable by 2015. By then, who knows, the car might even be able to make an arrest.

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