“This is the future of motoring!” – 93-Year-Old Brad Rides in Nissan’s Self-Driving Car

A 93-year-old grandfather from Enfield has praised Nissan’s autonomous driving technology after taking a test ride through rural Bedfordshire — calling it “fantastic” and a glimpse into the future of mobility.

Brad Ashton, a retired comedy scriptwriter, took part in a demonstration of Nissan’s cutting-edge autonomous vehicle tech as the company wrapped up its evolvAD research project. His trip highlighted how self-driving cars could one day support older drivers in staying independent, especially in rural areas with limited public transport.

Brad, who still drives his Nissan Micra to care for his wife and run errands, said: “I thought I’d feel frightened, but I felt safe and relaxed the whole time. This kind of technology could really help people like me keep in touch with family and stay mobile, even when driving isn’t an option anymore.”

His ride coincided with results from a new Nissan survey of over-70s, which showed a strong appetite for future tech that supports independence in later life:

• 64% of respondents said they’d like inventions like driverless cars to help them stay independent
• 63% didn’t want to rely on others for transport
• 36% of people living in rural areas said they feel socially isolated due to not being able to drive
• 21% preferred face-to-face contact over digital communication
• While 67% said they’d feel nervous in a self-driving car, others described the idea as “intriguing,” “amazing” or “exciting"

Nissan has been leading the way in autonomous technology through several UK-based projects. With evolvAD, the company and its partners have successfully completed over 16,000 miles of autonomous driving across UK roads, including motorways, residential streets and countryside routes — all without incident.

David Moss, Senior Vice President, Research & Development for Nissan AMIEO region, said: “This isn’t just about future tech – it’s about real people. Autonomous driving can improve safety, reduce emissions, and open up mobility for people who may currently be limited by age, disability or location. Welcoming Brad to experience it firsthand was a proud moment for our team.”

The autonomous driving research was carried out by Nissan at its UK Technical Centre in Cranfield. It builds on previous projects such as HumanDrive and ServCity, all contributing toward Nissan’s global goal of creating a safer, more inclusive and sustainable future of mobility.