As this article is going up on The Drive, Nissan is introducing at its HQ in Yokohama a refreshed version of its Skyline sedan, meant for the Japanese market. That wouldn’t be something to write home to America about, would the Skyline not come with an advanced ADAS system under the hood. Nissan unashamedly brands its ProPILOT 2.0 as “the world’s first next-gen driver assistance system,” which should get a rise out Elon Musk when he reads this.

What definitely is a first is that drivers can legally put their hands into their laps when their new Skyline travels down Japan’s expressways. Japan’s regulator could not be convinced to approve absolutely autonomous lane changes. For legal reasons, the driver still needs to signal consent, the rest of the maneuver can be relegated to the robot.

Asleep behind the wheel is not allowed: A monitoring system makes sure that the road ahead has the driver’s full attention. As the raft of sleeping Tesla drivers on YouTube attests, this is yet another feature lacking in the Silicon Valley car., In a Skyline, dozing drivers will receive their wake-up calls. The robot will try to get the driver's attention, "and if the driver does not respond, the vehicle will automatically turn-on the hazard lights, and pull over," the Skyline's Chief Engineer Shigetoshi Tokuoka explained today. "An operator will inquire about the driver, and will alert police or an ambulance, if necessary."