Nissan launches new co-creation program: “Drive Myself Project”

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced the launch of the “Drive Myself Project,” a program to co-create future mobility experiences and new ideas for manufacturing with young people. Under its long-term vision, Nissan Ambition 2030, Nissan aspires to empower journeys and society under the slogan “together we empower mobility and beyond.” The experimental Drive Myself Project takes on the challenge of designing the future with young people. The program is focused on people in their teens and 20s, while Nissan engineers and young employees will also participate. From planning to implementation, the program will embrace and support these young people’s motivation to take on challenges by inviting guests who are creatively contributing to a better society. Project partners, who are passionate and of a similar age, will be assigned the role of planning and production.

There will be three projects in the program, with the first two based in Japan and the third online and open to input from around the world. The concept is to involve a number of people as a team to create future mobility experiences and lifestyles driven by mobility.

Project 1: Ideathon to design mobility experiences

Project 2: Lifestyle prototyping

Project 3: Inventing with the familiar to create new value

The project will run from August through October and resulting ideas and pieces of work will be posted on a dedicated website and social media platforms, including Instagram (@drive_myself_project).

Project 1: Ideathon to design mobility experiences (in Japan)

People encounter new people and places by travelling, and such encounters often bring out new ideas and communities. The project is designed to enable ideathons for young people who were deprived of freedom of movement due to restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. They can design new mobility experiences from their unique perspective and work with engineers and young employees at Nissan on innovating mobility. Guest speakers will be Ory Yoshifuji, who has enabled people to move using a remote-controlled robot, and Asako Tsuji, who is creatively seeking solutions for societal issues. Details, ideas, and comments from participants will be announced on the website. Date: August 24, 2023Venue: Avatar Robot Café Dawn ver.β, Tokyo Participants: Approximately 30 people in their teens and 20s (selection closed)

Project 2: Lifestyle prototyping (in Japan)

Nissan and Sampo, a collective of next-generation creators proposing new styles of living using mobile houses, will jointly present futuristic lifestyles. This project is intended to promote the co-creation of new concepts, allowing the sharing of approaches to manufacturing nurtured by Nissan engineers. Prototypes will use Nissan batteries, ideas under development, and repurposed automotive components. As part of the project, documentary footage of the creation process of new mobile houses will also be released.

Project 3: Inventing with the familiar to create new value (global)

Based on the concept of Bricolage*, the project embraces ideas to enrich people’s lives and bring excitement from something familiar. Applications are open to all ages and geographic locations. Ideas can be expressed in any form, including graphics, photos, videos and websites, without regard to whether they are tangible or intangible. Also, works judged to be excellent will receive awards: General Award (total of four), Next-generation Award (total of four), and People’s Choice Award (more than one). The winning works will be posted on the website and social network platforms.