CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of autonomous vehicles Nissan plans to introduce.
NEW YORK — Nissan and Renault — sister companies situated in a global alliance — plan to launch at least 10 vehicles with "significant autonomous drive functionality" by 2020, joint CEO Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday.
Ghosn told the New York International Auto Show that the vehicles would still require a driver capable of taking over the vehicle, meaning they won't be fully driverless. But he said that by 2020 Nissan and Renault would offer vehicles that can effectively drive themselves on the highway and in the city, with minimal interference by the driver.
"2020 is a realistic" goal, he said.
The key hurdle, he said, is the patchwork of global regulations on autonomous cars. It's vital for governments to adjust their laws to ensure that drivers are "allowed to take our hands off the wheel and eyes off the road."
Otherwise, he said autonomous car development will stall.
Ghosn also said that Nissan remains bullish on electric vehicles, considering that the brand's Leaf is the world's best-selling electric car.
"That’s a position we intend to keep," he said. "It’s clear EVs are here to stay."
Looming as a threat to the industry on autonomous vehicles and electric cars is the tech industry, with giants such as Google and Apple developing automotive technologies that could one day reach the market and directly challenge the entrenched players.
"Rather than fear the disruption, I believe our industry really has no chance but to embrace it," Ghosn said. "We have a lot to learn from them, and they have a lot to learn from us."
But he ruled out the suggestion that a tech giant would acquire a major automaker to kick-start its manufacturing footprint.
"They would have done it already," based on their high market capitalization, Ghosn said.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.
