Nissan Uses AI to Cut the Time to Make a Car to 26 Months

Nissan products in China. The Japanese automotive manufacturer has cut the development time of cars from 55 months to 26 months with the support of AI technology. (Photo: Nissan China/CarNewsChina)

JAKARTA - Nissan has cut the development time of cars from 55 months to 26 months. The Japanese automotive manufacturer uses artificial intelligence or AI and learns from the fast working pattern of Chinese manufacturers to accelerate the birth of new vehicle models.

As reported by CarNewsChina, quoted Sunday, June 14, the change in strategy was announced by Nissan Motor Co. on June 12. This move is the company's effort to move faster amid the increasingly tight competition in the automotive industry, especially in the era of electric vehicles and smart technology.

Nissan President Ivan Espinosa said the new development process had been proven by the latest generation of the Skyline, which is scheduled to be launched in winter 2026. Nissan aims to implement this new working system in 90 percent of vehicle development projects in fiscal year 2026.

The major changes were heavily influenced by Nissan's experience in China. Through a joint venture with Dongfeng Motor, Nissan combined local technology and expertise to accelerate the vehicle development process.

In the same report, CarNewsChina said the Nissan N7, an electric car launched in April 2025, was a pilot project for the strategy. The car was developed in just two years.

AI is now used in almost all stages of vehicle development. In the design stage, AI helps generate various designs quickly by considering the aerodynamics and appearance of the vehicle. Aerodynamics is the ability of a vehicle design to regulate air flow to be more efficient and stable.

In the testing phase, Nissan replaced more than 60 percent of physical prototype testing with virtual simulations. These simulations use digital models so that crash tests and endurance tests can be performed faster without having to always make an example vehicle.

AI also helps decision-making through faster data analysis, so that companies can respond to market changes and simplify internal approval processes.

On the supply chain side, that is, the network of companies that provide vehicle materials and components, AI is used to estimate the need for spare parts and potential supply disruptions. This technology helps accelerate the transition from the research and development stage to mass production.

The acceleration of the strategy was carried out when Nissan's performance in the Chinese market was still under pressure. In May 2026, Nissan sold 30,025 vehicles in China, down 41.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

The sales decline is one of the challenges Nissan faces in the world's largest automotive market, which is now growing very fast with competition in electric vehicle technology and AI-based systems.