Building a vehicle that can react to the most minute changes in grip and stability, compensate for them and alert the driver of the situation has become almost the standard of the industry. Carmakers are now looking for ways to push beyond the simple traction control/stability control paradigm and find new technologies to improve safety even further. Nissan things it has one in its slip-hazard alert system.

Enhancing the car's on-board electronics and driver aids with information about the road, its statistical likelihood for accidents and slippery conditions at certain points, plus a 'road-cam' service that offers visual imagery of the road ahead - for instance, a mountain pass. By combining statistical data, near-real-time imagery and information transmitted from recent CARWINGS-equipped vehicles, such as the Nissan Teana, that passed over that area, the system can plot out a series of warnings and alerts about potentially slippery areas.

The slip-hazard system relays information from cars on the road to help improve overall safety

The slip-hazard system relays information from cars on the road to help improve overall safety

The CARWINGS telematics system relies on communication from individual cars back to a central system via wireless transmission. That information, including ABS/ESP activation, time and location, is then compiled by the slip hazard alert system, and if enough vehicles appear to be slipping and sliding at the same point, it can create an alert based on that data.

The slip alert system began actual testing in November 2007 on a 100-vehicle test fleet in Sapporo, Japan. The trial showed that by alerting drivers to the potential hazard, safety could be enhanced by slowing the pace of travel, and making driver's more vigilant and aware of their surroundings. There was even some evidence that the system's presence may have influenced drivers to continue their safe-driving tactics even in areas where the system hadn't alerted to a slip hazard.

This diagram represents the flow of information as it is processed and sent to the in-car system

This diagram represents the flow of information as it is processed and sent to the in-car system

At present, the system is limited to CARWINGS customers in Japan, but with the proper infrastructure a similar system could be deployed anywhere in the world. The trials of the new system with the road-cam functionality will begin in November.

Nissan's focus on advanced driving technology has been strong of late. Just a few weeks ago the company revealed a prototype collision-avoidance assistance system that is modeled on the principles bees use to navigate their complex environments.