Human roadblock for Japanese firms developing autonomous cars

Big money: Japanese auto giant Nissan Motor's autonomous driving electric vehicle "Nissan IDS Concept" at the Tokyo Motor Show. Nissan plans to equip multiple vehicles with autonomous drive technology by 2020.

TOKYO: Japanese car manufacturers will have to convince the public that letting go of the wheel in a self-driving car is safe, while also dealing with the biggest threat to the cars’ security: the humans using them. 

Toyota, Nissan and Honda are intent on putting autonomous cars on highways – and also city roads for Nissan – by 2020, and the triumvirate of Japan’s auto industry were keen to stress the advances made so far at the recent Tokyo Motor Show.