Feature
Can AI drive a car better than a human?
We experience a ride in a self-driving Nissan Leaf around rural Bedfordshire
Words by: Catherine King
Published on 25 March 2025 | 0 min read
From John Denver’s West Virginian country roads to Ed Sheeran’s Suffolk lanes, many songs have captured the joy of rural driving, but taking the scenic route is not always stress-free. Our UK roads are littered with obstacles from potholes and mud-splattered surfaces to blind bends and narrow single tracks, all of which become more perilous in the dark. What if the car could take the strain? I settled into the passenger seat of a Nissan Leaf to find out what a self-driving car could be like beyond the city limits in which we took a ride in an autonomously driven Jaguar on a previous occasion.
The 10-minute test route started in Cranfield at Nissan’s Technical Centre Europe and after a short amble through the facility we were soon out on the public road. I was surprised by how quickly I felt at ease. Yes, watching the steering wheel move by itself was disconcerting, but having a human safety driver ready to step in immediately calmed my nerves. Almost before I’d had time to process what was happening the car had swiftly negotiated a handful of roundabouts and was accelerating up to the national speed limit along a country road. The road was unfamiliar to me, but the car knew where each bend was, and a large screen showed what the car was seeing so I quickly felt confident it had things under control. The monitor highlighted any passing traffic as the car assessed how much grip was needed. By using “drive-by-wire” technology with no mechanical link between the steering or the pedals, the car could control exactly how much braking force to apply to each wheel individually, allowing it to remain smooth and controlled while taking corners faster than I would.
After two trips around the circuit the experience came to an end. Was the car’s driving perfect? Not quite. At one point the Leaf entered a roundabout only to abruptly stop because it thought a car was heading towards us. This turned out to be a false alarm, but it was better to be safe than sorry. A human might have waited for the other driver to decide where they were going before pulling out in the first place, but it showed how frequently the car was reassessing the situation. Due to the high speeds involved in this rural trial, our car hadn’t been configured to drive around other road users, so it couldn’t overtake cyclists, nor could it identify and drive around potholes. However, even with these shortcomings it was still an impressive demonstration, and only the tip of the iceberg. My journey around the rural Bedfordshire was the culmination of three autonomous driving projects which have taken place since 2017.
After two trips around the circuit the experience came to an end. Was the car’s driving perfect? Not quite. At one point the Leaf entered a roundabout only to abruptly stop because it thought a car was heading towards us. This turned out to be a false alarm, but it was better to be safe than sorry. A human might have waited for the other driver to decide where they were going before pulling out in the first place, but it showed how frequently the car was reassessing the situation. Due to the high speeds involved in this rural trial, our car hadn’t been configured to drive around other road users, so it couldn’t overtake cyclists, nor could it identify and drive around potholes. However, even with these shortcomings it was still an impressive demonstration, and only the tip of the iceberg. My journey around the rural Bedfordshire was the culmination of three autonomous driving projects which have taken place since 2017.
Initially Nissan’s HumanDrive initiative focused on motorway journeys covering over 12,500 miles of autonomous driving and successfully completing a 230-mile journey from Cranfield, Bedfordshire to Sunderland in one go. This was followed by ServCity, a London based inner city trial navigating hazardous urban environments and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Finally, Nissan has just completed its EvolvAD project. This was a two-part programme: one part focused on rural roads like the car I had a ride in, while the second navigated urban environments.
All trails were backed by the UK Government funding and investment from Nissan Japan. Additionally, Nissan worked in collaboration with several consultancy partners supporting on areas such as cyber security and wider infrastructure. Nissan uses GPS plus a range of cameras, radar and lidar sensors in its autonomous cars, but the cars can also link to traffic cameras allowing them to effectively see around corners and optimise routes around buses and parked cars. Most importantly, during over 16,000 miles of autonomous driving there have been zero accidents, which was a reassuring statistic as the car I was sitting in confidently accelerated up to 60mph on its own. Impressive, but what happens next?
All trails were backed by the UK Government funding and investment from Nissan Japan. Additionally, Nissan worked in collaboration with several consultancy partners supporting on areas such as cyber security and wider infrastructure. Nissan uses GPS plus a range of cameras, radar and lidar sensors in its autonomous cars, but the cars can also link to traffic cameras allowing them to effectively see around corners and optimise routes around buses and parked cars. Most importantly, during over 16,000 miles of autonomous driving there have been zero accidents, which was a reassuring statistic as the car I was sitting in confidently accelerated up to 60mph on its own. Impressive, but what happens next?
Nissan was a pioneer in electric mobility when it launched the Leaf in 2010 and its ambition continues with its strategy to become cleaner, safer and more inclusive by 2030. Nissan believes autonomous vehicles will have a big impact on all three aspects and having competed the research phase of its project, the next plan is to build public confidence. While there may be some scepticism, Nissan is keen to highlight it doesn’t want to take the fun out of driving for those who enjoy it. Instead, Nissan aims to provide a car which can do the heavy lifting when it’s repetitive or stressful and sees self-driving as an extension to the familiar Level 2 assistance systems like adaptive cruise control which many cars already have.
Alongside its work in the UK, Nissan Japan is aiming to launch a mobility service in Yokohama by 2027. Rather than offering a door-to-door service like a robotaxi a mobility service would take customers between virtual bus stops and appeal to Yokohama’s aging population who would not be able to drive themselves. This would sit alongside existing taxis, buses and private cars rather than replacing them. Following the trail Nissan would like to bring mobility as a service here and hopes last year’s Automated Vehicles Act will help to provide a framework for future self-driving developments. There’s still a long way to go before self-driving cars become a fixture on our roads but my encounter with the self-driving Leaf showed the technology’s potential. However, with growing competition from companies such as Wayve and newcomers like Chinese BYD, Nissan will need to continue development at pace to stay ahead.
Alongside its work in the UK, Nissan Japan is aiming to launch a mobility service in Yokohama by 2027. Rather than offering a door-to-door service like a robotaxi a mobility service would take customers between virtual bus stops and appeal to Yokohama’s aging population who would not be able to drive themselves. This would sit alongside existing taxis, buses and private cars rather than replacing them. Following the trail Nissan would like to bring mobility as a service here and hopes last year’s Automated Vehicles Act will help to provide a framework for future self-driving developments. There’s still a long way to go before self-driving cars become a fixture on our roads but my encounter with the self-driving Leaf showed the technology’s potential. However, with growing competition from companies such as Wayve and newcomers like Chinese BYD, Nissan will need to continue development at pace to stay ahead.
