It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 years since mankind first landed on the moon. This momentous occasion was celebrated last July 20, 2019, makrking just how far we’ve come in terms of space travel and our search for what’s our there.
Apart from this, the golden anniversary of the moon landing also shows just how much tech has been developed since then. The good news is, it’s not just way up there in space but has actually trickled down to our everyday lives. Case in point are the cool goodies that we find on Nissan vehicles.
Take for instance the radar- and camera-based driver assist technology used in the brand’s ProPilot Assist. First utilized for space travel, these pieces of kit help ProPilot in aiding drivers avoid collisions, warn them of vehicles in their blind spots, and even help them stop safely even if they’re not paying attention to the car in front (Automatic Emergency Braking)
Then there’s GPS Navigation that was first seen in the 1950s as a tool to help pinpoint various locations. Now, it is used by most everyone to find a destination, check on traffic conditions, and make life much easier in general.
Another key innovation are heat shields that were nspired by those used on rocket ships. These help protect the ship’s occupants against killer temperatures they’d experience when entering the earth’s atmosphere. It does the same job, this time for key vehicle components—shielding these against exhaust heat that would otherwise be damaging.
Developed in 1981, Zero Gravity sets were used by astronauts as they journeyed into space, making for a comfortable trip despite the long flight. The same holds true for drivers of Nisssan vehicles who sit on these chairs on long road trips or when stuck in endless gridlock.
And of course, Lithium-Ion batteries that are seen on Plug-in Hybrid or Battery Electric Vehicles were likewise a product of looking for advanced yet efficient way to conduct space travel. Believe it or not, these were first used for ships that ventured into outer spacel, making for an efficient source of energy. Now, they are the wave of the future as the automotive industry is now setting its sights on an electric future.
Yes, it may have been 50 long years since Neil Armstrong first uttered his famous “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Yet since then, we have taken giant steps towards a greener and more advanced motoring future., thanks in no msall part to these pieces of technology and innovation.
