2004 Nissan Actic Concept
Personalization Through Innovation
With the debut of its adaptive, "content rich" Actic concept vehicle, Nissan has pushed the innovation envelope to somewhere past this side of the unimaginable. Envision a vehicle in which owners set up the modular interior seating to their personal needs, whether those needs include accommodating baby strollers, sports gear or just loads of people.
Add to the innovative interior a 100-gigabyte key fob that doesnt just configure the standard audio and HVAC preferences but also the email and navigational settings, not to mention the overhead display screens that allow the driver to select custom video displays. You dont like the outside weather? Change it on the six roof-mounted flat LCD display panels and feel your spirits soar as the sun filters in through the rustling leaves overhead.
The wraps were pulled off this techno-adaptive futuristic marvel at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, currently underway in Detroit. The Actic is a design exercise created by Nissan Design America Inc. (NDA), situated in the land of youthful eclecticism, La Jolla, California. According to Nissan, the Actic, with its matching trailer, is intended to make a visionary statement about how vehicle owners will approach technology in the future.
Described as a "digital canvass for changing lives," the Actic is all about providing car owners with a vehicle that adapts to their personality, rather than imposing the vehicles personality on the owners. NDA president Tom Semple put it this way; "Actic does not fully come to life until the intelligent key fob is activated. The fob is really a small, highly portable transmitting hard drive onto which the owner has loaded a host of data, preferences, settings and configurations."
Nissans latest concept was conceived as a new form of entry level vehicle. Like a square peg in a round hole the Actic doesnt necessarily fit into a particular automotive genre, such as minivan, crossover, or sport-utility, but rather targets active, Gen-X males in their twenties who seek freedom, adventure and flexibility. I prefer to call them the MP3 crowd, who after years of riding skateboards are now riding substantial incomes.
Regardless of labeling, dont underestimate the Gen-X purchasing power and appetite for technology. This generation grew up in the interactive, digital world of bits and bytes. Zeroing in on this crowd is forward-thinking marketing, albeit not a particularly new idea. Clearly Nissan, like Toyota with their U.S.-only Scion division, wants to get the jump on the competition by creating a brand image that the Gen-Xers can relate to. Doing so may establish brand loyalty at an early age, which could pay dividends as the Gen-Xers mature and their automotive needs and desires change.
The Actic is essentially a 4-door coupe, as there is no B-pillar separating the uniquely designed front and rear sliding doors. The front doors slide forward and the rears rearward, creating a wide open passenger area which should make ingress and egress a snap for those of Incredible Hulk proportions.
The basic exterior shape imparts a squat, aggressive appearance that is nicely emphasized by fenders that flare out to meet the edge of the wide, 5-spoke wheels wrapped in 19-inch "cross trainer" tires. The wheel and tire package is intended to simulate the concept of cross-trainer running shoes, with a waffle patterned tire tread that is laminated to the aluminum-alloy rims, making the tires part of the wheel.
The silver, sky-reflecting surface areas of the sleekly styled Actic are smooth and slightly curvaceous. Actic headlights, front grille and taillights all blend seamlessly with the body panels, creating an overall surface that is devoid of clutter, add-ons and unnecessary sculpturing.
The interior styling, however, remains a bit of a mystery. Orange is the dominating hue for the modular set up, a love it or lump it color choice. Although the Actic features all the comfort and conveniences of modern automobiles, I would describe it as adhering to the "minimalist concept" in design. But thats likely the point. Tom Semple says, "we have entered an age of very personal transportation. Actic users, by bringing their own content to the vehicle, make it their own." In my case the Actic interior would be full of mountain bikes, skis and empty coffee cups. OK, I suppose I get it.
The Gen-X target customer would also likely fill the Actic with outdoor gear, if produced, although Id venture to speculate that skateboards and snowboards would be what clutters up their Actics open space. Incidentally, that space can be easily accessed via a rear hatch.
With the outdoor life in mind, NDA collaborated with well-known camping trailer manufacturer Airstream to create the matching Actic trailer. This smooth, well-worn bar of soap design looks great behind the Nissan concept, but thats not all. The trailer is highly functional. Its inflatable wall system can raise the trailers lid and create a comfortable place for sleeping three people - although Nissan doesnt state how well the three would have to know each other.
While the intriguing Actic is nothing more than a conceptual vehicle at this point, I must applaud Nissan for thinking outside the typical automotive box. Regardless of whether the Actic becomes a reality or not, its reassuring to know that in these days of ultra-performance cars at ultra-performance prices, some car manufacturers are focusing on potentially providing more frugal purchasers with technology, versatility and adaptability in an entry-level vehicle. Now Im left curious to see what aspects of this concept make it to production and then, just which rival automakers follow Nissans lead.