Nissan hatches a hi-tech Micra giving driver a bird’s-eye view
LOCAL LAUNCH
Nissan has added a new flagship model to its Micra range that’s packed with hi-tech features.
Appropriately called the Micra Acenta Plus Tech, it’s equipped with Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) technology. It’s the first time Nissan is introducing this tech, normally reserved for premium vehicles, to the Upper B hatchback segment.
NIM includes four 360° cameras around the car, which are connected to a large screen on the dashboard, providing an intelligent around-view monitor. The cameras create a virtual bird’s-eye view of the car so that the driver can see around the car when parking.
There is also moving object detection, which keeps an eye around your car and warns the driver about pedestrians and animals detected nearby.
Blind-spot warning sounds an alert if there are vehicles in the blind spots diagonally behind the car. Intelligent forward emergency braking monitors the vehicle in front and beeps if you’re getting too close. If you don’t react to that, it will slow the car down to avoid a collision.
Nissan says the NIM system is like having a third eye and sixth sense.
The Nissan Micra Acenta Plus Tech is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which makes the 18cm touchscreen an extension of a smartphone. Once connected, drivers are able to access maps with turn-by-turn navigation, music, telephone services and other apps such as Audiobooks and Spotify all with your eyes on the road.
The car comes with a dedicated Siri button on the steering wheel, allowing voice activation of certain features.
A smaller 12.7cm Nissan Advanced Drive Assist Display is located on the dashboard, in line with the driver’s line of sight so that distractions are reduced.
Additional tech includes a hill-start assist to help prevent rollbacks. Intelligent trace control delivers confident handling by adjusting the brake pressure on individual wheels to help keep an optimal line through turns. Intelligent ride control applies subtle braking to prevent unpleasant upper body motion over bumps, enhancing overall ride comfort.
The Acenta Plus Tech is powered by the 66kW, 900cc petrol turbo engine and, like the rest of the range, comes with running lights, front power windows, a manual air con, cruise control, automatic headlights, and six airbags. The R299,900 price tag includes a six-year/150,000km warranty and a three-year/ 90,000km service plan with 24/7 roadside assistance.