TOKYO, April 15 – Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it plans to add an autonomous driving system employing artificial intelligence to 90 percent of its future models to help revive sluggish sales.
The Japanese automaker will introduce the next-generation driving technology by the end of fiscal 2027 in its new large minivan Elgrand, which is expected to be launched this summer.
By restructuring its global market strategy, the company aims to sell 550,000 units in Japan and 1 million vehicles each in the United States and China by fiscal 2030.
In fiscal 2024, sales in Japan stood at 461,000 vehicles, 1.3 million units in North America including 938,000 in the United States, and 697,000 units in China.
For fiscal 2025, it projected sales of 420,000 units in Japan, 653,000 units in China and 1.3 million vehicles in North America.
The struggling Japanese automaker said it will reduce the number of its models to 45 from the current 56, aiming for a “leaner, stronger lineup.”
CEO Ivan Espinosa said at a briefing in Nissan headquarters in Yokohama that the new vision “directs investment towards what truly matters and holds steady under pressure.”
The automaker plans to expand power train options for each model to offer customers more choices.
By concentrating development on three product families, which are expected to account for more than 80 percent of its volume, the company seeks to boost sales per model by over 30 percent, it said.
Espinosa said that this focus “optimizes investment, accelerates development and improves our ability to respond to market demand.”
The company is pushing restructuring steps that include closing seven plants in Japan and overseas, including the Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The plan also calls for reducing its workforce by 20,000 employees.
Espinosa said that the restructuring plan remains the company’s priority this year, adding that, “As we reach its midpoint, this is the right moment to sharpen our long-term vision not as an ambition but as a guide for action.”
Nissan also unveiled plans to launch several new models, including a hybrid version of the X-Trail sport utility vehicle and an electric version of the Juke SUV.
