TOKYO (June 28, 2007)--Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced it will incorporate a message alert against drink-driving into its CARWINGS (HDD) navigation systems*1, as a part of a wider campaign to help prevent drink-driving. Nissan will gradually incorporate this new feature into its navigation systems on board new vehicles being built from late June for the Japan market.

The updated CARWINGS navi systems will display the drink-driving alert when the ignition is turned on to remind the driver of the hazards of drink-driving.

As an automaker, Nissan is committed to raising public awareness and educate drivers to the dangers of drinking and driving. The company is actively engaged in a wide range of educational initiatives such as the Hello Safety Campaign*2.

The message alert is a pre-emptive passive safety measure and represents a first-step for Nissan to incorporate this feature across our products. Looking forward, Nissan intends to widen its use of technology to address the hazards of drink-driving.

Message Alerts

The alert "Do not drive after drinking!" appears automatically for about five seconds on the navigation panel between the hours of 17:30 and 05:00 at the start of the ignition. In the daytime i.e. between 05:00 and 17:30 hours, the display message reads "Let's continue safe driving today".

On a global level, Nissan is committed to build safe vehicles equipped with advanced safety technologies. In Japan, the company's safety vision is to halve the number of traffic fatalities or serious injuries involving Nissan vehicles by 2015 compared with the level in 1995.

Nissan is taking a holistic approach towards safety that extends beyond the technology built into its vehicles. To achieve a "safe driving environment", Nissan has embarked on the Intelligent Transport System Project (ITS) in Kanagawa Prefecture - aimed at helping to reduce road accidents via the analysis of traffic data collected from on-the-road vehicles and traffic beacons. In addition, Nissan is engaged in various road safety campaigns targeted at both adults and children, and continues to collaborate with partners from the government and private sectors.

*1: First installed on the Skyline released in November 2006 and is available either as a standard feature on certain models or as manufacturer option.

*2: The safety campaign is held three times a year in conjunction with the national traffic-safety campaigns held over the spring, autumn and summer school holidays. The 35th campaign (June 12 - July 1) featured a "Parent-child prevention of drink-driving" program. At the 36th campaign (July 7-8), Nissan will distribute educational kits on traffic safety including ways to help prevent drink-driving, to kindergarten aged children nationwide.