Latest news with #NissanSerena
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Jennifer Sheahan: 'I turned my car into a tiny home on wheels. See the small-space living ideas I love'
If you've followed my campervan journey from the beginning, you'll know it started with a dream: to create a tiny, nimble home-on-wheels that could double as my everyday car. For those who missed my previous adventures, I bought a seven-seater Nissan Serena in 2022 and had it converted to a micro-camper by Pathfinders in Leitrim — they relished the challenge of packing camper essentials into such a small van and installed a rock-n-roll bed, a narrow kitchen unit with sink and camping stove, an electric shower, and a leisure battery system. The goal was to have a vehicle that could serve as my daily car but transform into a comfortable home on wheels for weekend escapes around Ireland, and Pathfinders nailed it. Since I last wrote about my camping escapades, I've added some new equipment to my setup, all put to the test in a mix of Irish weather, from warm sunny days by Wicklow lakes in our recent heatwave to a yellow weather warning on the Wild Atlantic Way. The rear acts as a dining and living space and converts to a bedroom. If you're thinking about starting your own campervan adventure, my advice is to start simple, pack light, and get out there. You'll learn the rest as you go. Magnetic living kit A tiny campervan is great for all the reasons listed above, but it lacks a living space. When you're parked up for a day or more, you need space for practicalities such as changing and storing wet gear, but also to relax after a long day hiking and swimming. I bought the Vango Tolga drive-away awning from Charles' Camping in Blessington in the summer of 2023, which I love, but it was always a bit fiddly to attach it securely to the van with the straps. You can get awning rails attached permanently to the side of your van, but I wanted to be able to easily detach and drive away. Enter the Dometic Magnetic Driveaway Kit, which uses a strong magnetic strip that clings to the roof of my van, creating a seal between the van and the awning. In light to moderate winds, it's rock solid, and it definitely speeds up the driveaway process. That said, it did partially lift during one particularly dramatic evening in Kerry when winds reached up to 85km/h. Lesson learned: magnet is mighty, but Mother Nature is mightier. I'd still recommend it, but use the extra guy lines when storms are brewing. Perry gets in on the action as Jennifer Sheahan pegs in one of the guy lines. Speaking of storms, the Vango Tolga awning once again proved its worth. Despite a yellow weather warning and a long night of gale force winds, it held firm — no leaks, no rips, just some flappy fabric. I continue to rate it highly. Self-inflating mat My rock-n-roll bed — car seats that fold fully flat into a camping bed — does the trick for a night or so, but is a bit firm to sleep on for any longer than that, especially if you're a side-sleeper like me. Nothing is more important than a good night's sleep, so we invested in the Outdoor Revolution Rock 'N' Roll Self-Inflating Mat, and it's been such a game-changer. It is specifically for rock-and-roll camper beds, so it fits perfectly. To inflate, you simply roll it out and leave it to work its magic for about half an hour. You then simply open the valves and roll it up to deflate. It is quite neat, just about small enough for me to fit in my minivan, and is super comfortable. A top recommendation from me. Camping table One of the joys of campervan life is eating outdoors, but finding the right camping table has been a process. I wanted one that I could put a portable BBQ safely on top of, and I wanted it to fold away to a size small enough to fit in my under-seat storage area. Jennifer Sheahan and Daniel Singleton with Perry at Mannix Point Camping and Caravan Park, Caherciveen, Co Kerry. Pictures: Alan Landers I finally found the perfect table on (yet another) trip to Charles' Camping — the Outwell Canmore camping table (we bought a size large). It takes about a minute to set up, has more than enough space to seat four people comfortably, and rolls away neatly into its own carry bag for easy storage. The legs are adjustable, so you can raise it if you have chairs or lower it if not. Best of all, for me, the aluminium makes it easy to clean and you can put hot items — even your BBQ — safely on top of it. Grill and fire pit I might get heat for this, but I never really got BBQs. I already have a gas stove in my little van, and my house is so tiny that my kitchen is practically in my garden anyway, so I never saw the point in putting another cooking appliance within arm's reach of my oven. Jennifer Sheahan with her dog Perry in her converted car/mobile microcamper. Picture: Eddie O'Hare But I will admit nothing tastes better than flame-grilled, plus it's hard to beat the cosy warmth of sitting around glowing embers on a summer evening. So the search began for a compact BBQ that doubled as a fire pit, and we bought the Campingmoon X-Mini-PRO earlier this year — a compact stainless-steel charcoal grill that doubles as a fire pit. It's light, fits in a small bag, and sets up in seconds. The Campingmoon X-Mini-Pro barbecue doubles up as a fire pit. The only downside is that it needs to be used in a sheltered spot, as the ash collector is too shallow and ash can blow everywhere in even a light breeze. But if you can find a nook out of the wind, it's a nice piece of kit for the price. The perfect stopover This year, I finally made it to Mannix Point Camping and Caravan Park in Caherciveen, Co Kerry, which had been on my list for a while. It's everything a camper could want. The basics are clean and well-maintained — hot showers, a communal kitchen, and a laundry. The 'tiny home on the move' at Mannix Point Camping and Caravan Park, Caherciveen, Co Kerry. Pictures: Alan Landers The location is unbeatable, nestled on the edge of the water with sweeping views of the Kerry landscape and walking distance to lovely restaurants on the main street of Caherciveen. But the magic is in the warm welcome, the cosy outdoor terrace, the roaring fire in the living room on a rainy evening, and the instruments contained within that everyone is encouraged to pick up and play. I'm already planning a return visit. Read More Jennifer Sheahan: Find the perfect sofas and armchairs for a tiny home
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nissan Readies Its Own Robotaxis
Nissan reveals its progress in the development of SAE Level 4 technology, having let its prototype navigate without a driver in complex traffic for the first time in Japan. The prototype is based on the Nissan Serena minivan and features nine radars, fourteen cameras and six lidar sensors, using its height to get a fuller picture of the traffic around it. Nissan currently plans to launch its first commercial service for paying passengers in 2027 after more testing, but the automaker has not detailed the full scale of its planned deployment. Japan has been eager to take advantage of robotaxi technology for quite some time, citing driver shortages amid an aging population, but SAE Level 4 tech has not seen a commercial rollout in the country despite the development work conducted over the past few years. This could change in the coming years as Nissan readies a driverless minivan that could serve as the basis of a robotaxi fleet. The SAE Level 4 prototype, based on the Nissan Serena, saw its first demo drive with no driver behind the wheel, marking an important milestone in Nissan's autonomous efforts. "For the first time in Japan, a test vehicle with no driver in the car has navigated a public road in a complex urban environment," the company noted. The Nissan Serena minivan has been equipped with no fewer than nine radars, 14 cameras, and six lidar sensors, and the van was chosen in part for its height, giving sensors a wider field of vision compared to sedan-based prototypes. Nissan has been working on autonomous technology for some time, including at its Nissan Advanced Technology Center in Silicon Valley, though this is the first driverless demonstration drive of an SAE Level 4 minivan in its home country. The tech on board is of Nissan's own development, rather than a partner developer's, with Nissan being one of a small number of automakers who've invested in their own proprietary autonomous driving system. "In addition, the use of AI has significantly enhanced recognition, behavioral prediction and judgment as well as control, delivering smooth operation in a variety of complex scenarios," Nissan added. The near-term goal for Nissan's efforts is to launch a mobility service in Japan. But getting there will take some time, with Nissan revealing more demonstration tests with a larger fleet of about 20 vehicles that will take place in Yokohama this year and in 2026. The actual launch of Nissan's commercial service is now expected to take place in 2027, noting that remote monitoring will be part of any commercial fleet. And this part of the operations, in addition to vehicle service, will still take some time to set up even on a relatively limited scale as we've seen with other robotaxi fleets. So Nissan isn't rushing to field hundreds or thousands of these robotaxis right away. But it's also not alone in planning for robotaxi fleets in Japan. Waymo is eyeing the Japan market as well, or at least some areas of Tokyo, having recently taken its first international "road trip" as the company called it, that includes mapping efforts in several chosen neighborhoods. But the US robotaxi industry leader is still far from a commercial launch in Japan, we should note. And so is Nissan. Will robotaxis become common in the US after 2030, or will it remain a relatively niche technology even then? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
