Nissan launches Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative

Nissan unveiled a production line at its Tochigi plant that implements the unique Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative, which supports the manufacture of next-generation vehicles using innovative technologies and contributes to achieving carbon neutrality. Nissan also revealed its roadmap to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 at its production plants around the world.

Commenting on the initiative, Hideyuki Sakamoto, Nissan Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, said: “The automotive sector is undergoing significant changes today, and finding solutions to climate change that the world is facing is a top priority. We see this challenge as an opportunity to build our strength in the field of manufacturing, to develop and apply innovative technologies to overcome the challenges we face, that is the essence of our brand.”

Nissan Smart Factory

Since its establishment, Nissan has strengthened its ability to manufacture cars through high-quality and efficient production processes, in addition to the great skills of the company’s senior technicians. But the manufacturing sector is undergoing fundamental changes at the moment. Companies in Japan have to move away from traditional labor-intensive manufacturing to cope with the aging population and the massive labor shortage. Unforeseen factors such as climate change and epidemics must also be taken into account. The prevailing trends in the sector in the field of electricity, automotive intelligence and communication technologies contribute to the further development of the structures and functions of cars and increase their complexity.

In response to these needs and trends, Nissan launched the Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative at its factory in Tochigi, where the factory provides the following advantages:

1. Using robots that are no less skilled than the company’s distinguished crew of technicians, to manufacture next-generation cars of the highest quality
2. Providing an enhanced environment where a large group of people can work comfortably
3. Achieving a zero-emissions production system, thus accelerating efforts to achieve a carbon-neutral society

The Tochigi plant is set to begin production of the all-new Nissan Ariya, the electric crossover, this year.

Achieving carbon neutrality
Nissan aims to achieve carbon neutrality across all of its operations and product lifecycle by 2050 ¹ , Also seeks to achieve this the neutrality in manufacturing processes by enhancing innovations to support higher productivity in the auto assembly, from the Nissan plant intelligent initiative and by raising the level of energy efficiency and materials in factories, where it plans to brand by the year 2050 conversion plant equipment to the equipment Fully electric by introducing innovative production technologies and reducing energy use. To achieve carbon neutrality in the production plants, the electricity used will be generated entirely from renewable energy sources and/or fuel cells that use alternative fuels.

In this context, Sakamoto said: “The launch of the Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative globally, starting with the Tochigi plant, allows us to build next-generation cars with more flexibility, efficiency, and effectiveness towards achieving a carbon-neutral society. We will continue to promote innovation in manufacturing to enrich human lives and support Nissan’s future growth.