A correspondent from AvtoPortal visited Nissan's European technical center in Barcelona, where he was trusted to test the 600-horsepower Juke-R 2.0 and shown how cars of this brand are created. Among other things, the journalist was able to personally evaluate the work of "smart" electronics.

How the test went

The point of the tests was to allow guests of the test site to compare the behavior of the car with different calibrations of control systems. The engineers, of course, were in no hurry to reveal details, saying that ordinary drivers don't need these subtleties. In general, they are right. I'll just note that a separate car was prepared for each exercise, and an instructor with a laptop was nearby.

In just a couple of minutes, he changed the firmware, thereby changing the nature of various car systems.

Steering response

The first task was a lane change at a speed of 65 km/h. First — with "modified" steering settings, then — with factory ones. Why this order? I immediately asked this question. The instructor explained: if you first do the "moose test" with the standard steering, you might not notice the difference. I looked at him doubtfully and agreed. He just smiled and said: go, you'll understand later.

So, I accelerate, 65 km/h, sharp maneuver.

Me: So what?

Instructor (opening the laptop): now I'll return the factory parameters, and you'll repeat it.

Well, I did. But, to be honest, I didn't feel much difference, which I told the specialist. Then he allowed me to try again, but at a speed of about 80 km/h.

And that's when I finally felt that the "improved" calibration allows sharp maneuvers with less risk of hitting cones, while with the standard one it's harder to quickly level the car, and the steering doesn't react as sharply. That's if you speak simply, from the point of view of an ordinary driver. The instructor then took out graphs and began to explain how the steering effort and its sensitivity changed thanks to just reprogramming, without changing the hardware.

The second exercise was driving along an arc marked by cones. On this section, the yellow Juke had the most "charged" steering settings, and the instructor was prompting where and how to turn the wheel to fully feel the responsiveness and sporty character.

By the way, the speed was 80 km/h. Given the narrowness of the passage and the steepness of the turn, I was more worried about not embarrassing myself after a 70-year-old German woman who, before me, very confidently passed this section without touching a single cone. To my luck and the relief of my Ukrainian colleagues, I also managed "perfectly," as the test pilot noted.

As a Nissan Juke owner, I can confidently say that I would be one of the first to pay for such a "reflash." But it's important to clarify: what is good on the track is not always good on a regular road, and vice versa. Imagine that on a highway at 140 km/h in an emergency situation you sharply jerk the steering wheel, which instantly reacts to any movement. How will this end? I think, in a ditch. That's why engineers and test pilots are so careful in setting up the car's "brains." And that's why there are "settings for the average driver."

Hill start

Nowadays, many modern cars, including Nissans, are equipped with a hill start assist system — the electronics hold the brakes for a few seconds, preventing the car from rolling backward. But in Barcelona, they also demonstrated another useful option. Namely, something like an assistant for beginners.

This unusual program is designed to make it easier to start off in a car with a manual transmission. The electronics monitor how hard you press the gas pedal (and not only that) and smooth out incorrect or abrupt driver actions. The instructor deliberately provoked sharply releasing the clutch and not adding gas, but the car surprisingly started off without jerks.

If you get really cheeky and, without adding gas, release the clutch — the engine may stall. As the developer explained, that's why such programs are called "auxiliary," not primary. But the idea itself and its implementation are very successful. Moreover, according to Nissan representatives, this helps extend the life of the engine, gearbox, and clutch.

The last exercise was driving with the sport engine mode. Everything is obvious here: with standard settings, the engine behaves more lazily, while with sport settings, it's noticeably more lively, and the torque curve is different. Nissan offered this since the Juke's release. And its owners will confirm that the character of the unit changes greatly depending on the selected mode.

Conclusions

Almost all automakers, including Nissan, are actively engaged in automation and "electrification" of cars. Soon, self-driving cars will become commonplace. What's more — automakers have already agreed that in a few years, all cars will be equipped with automatic emergency braking by default. And also, I'm sure, very soon we will be able to customize our cars to our liking — almost like themes on a smartphone...