In order to demonstrate the advantages of its electric all-wheel-drive technology, Nissan miniaturized its e-4ORCE system and put it in an RC car. With an onboard camera, a virtual driver’s seat, and a figure-eight course with slippery surfaces to test it on, the Japanese automaker will be showing off the system’s advantages to the public.
The remote control car is designed to look like a Nissan Ariya, the first vehicle available with the e-4ORCE system. It features four small electric motors to drive each wheel and e-4ORCE engineers developed software for it that monitors driving conditions with sensors. This allows the car to adjust braking and driving force at all four corners in order to deliver ideal control, no matter how slippery the conditions are.
The feed from a camera is then sent to what looks like a sim rig, complete with a steering wheel and pedals, allowing people to drive the RC car along a figure-eight track with varying road conditions.
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The system closely resembles the all-wheel-drive system that Nissan engineers developed late last year for a lunar rover that could handle the moon’s dusty, low grip conditions. On the road, meanwhile, the control technology is tuned for comfort and safety, says Nissan.
Although the full-size Ariya only has two motors, the automaker applies the same principles to its AWD system in order to help the car do what the driver intends. By coordinating the motors and brakes, the car is more controllable and likelier to do what the driver wants even when the road gets slippery if, for example, it’s snowing.
Members of the public are invited to drive the RC car at Nissan’s Global Headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, from March 18 to 21.
