Nissan Safety Advances, Hydrogen Powered Fuel Cells, Dodge Dakota, Honda, DaimlerChrysler

Nissan Safety AdvancesNissan Motor Co. recently unveiled a crop of advanced safety features, including a system that assists drivers in preventing a collision. Nissan is attempting to reclaim its reputation as a leading high-tech automaker alongside rival Toyota Motor Corp. At its technical research center in Yokosuka, outside Tokyo, Japan's third-biggest automaker also showed off a new system that automatically maintains a safe distance with a preceding vehicle by accelerating or slowing down in heavy traffic. The feature, called Adaptive Cruise Control, is designed to reduce the driver's workload in low-speed driving situations. The system is likely be mounted on a new luxury model planned for release next year. With profits growing rapidly, Nissan, owned in part by Renault, has boosted its spending on R&D to catch up with Toyota and Honda Motor Co. The automaker also demonstrated a new safety system that helps prevent a head-to-rear collision by allowing the driver to maneuver the steering wheel better, even while the brakes are being applied. Nissan said it might take some time to get approval to introduce the high-tech system for production models since there are no regulatory standards that apply to technology that helps prevent collisions rather than reducing the damage from them. Setting standards for such features could be tricky due to concerns that they could encourage a more lax approach to safety responsibilities among drivers, according to Nissan officials.

Not Done YetDespite the current presidential administration's push to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cells for automobiles, the internal combustion engine isn't going the way of the dinosaur anytime soon. The conclusion came from powertrain experts at the Automotive News World Congress this week. Improvements to fuel-injection systems and the combustion process of gasoline-powered and diesel engines will enable them to run cleaner and deliver higher fuel economy, panelists agreed.

Fast 411* The Dodge Dakota will soon undergo a rebuild that will make it larger still overall.

* Honda plans to market its pickup truck to existing Honda owners first.

* Nissan will drop the Pathfinder name for its new fullsize Armada SUV.

* DaimlerChrysler expects only modest profit growth in 2004.

* Problems abound at Mitsubishi, with financial losses more than double of that forecasted.

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