Arena Instrumentation is proud of its recent contribution to the new concept car designed by Nissan, and launched at the Geneva motor show in March earlier this year.

Following the success of the Qashqai, an alternative to the traditional family car that revolutionized one of the most conservative sectors of the market. Nissan have been inspired to see how it can re-shape the small five door of the future.

The Qazana reinforces Nissan's position as a pioneer of the crossover, in the same way that Nissan re-wrote the rule book when it introduced Qashqai two years ago; it is doing the same with the Qazana. It is approaching the small car market from a totally different direction; Qazana invigorates, stimulates and rejuvenates the traditional town runabout.

Arena Instrumentation were assigned the role to design and provide all power supply requirements, electrical control, electronic systems and wiring, as well as interfacing to the engine start/ fuel systems, and automatic gear box. The vehicle was also required to start and drive up to 20mph.

Nissan required a remote lighting sequence for the Geneva show which included all interior and exterior lighting and most importantly the LED lights which gave the impression of a beating heart in the cars centre console. Arena developed an individual circuit to control the simulation of lighting for the beating heart and a multiple input/output PLC programme to control all variable LED lighting sequences, as well as automatic opening and closing of the doors via remote control.

Production starts early 2010 at UK Sunderland plant and Nissan hope to have it on our roads by summer "it could just be the car to save Britain" according to BBC Top Gear. It will undoubtedly have a significant impact at the Sunderland plant saving a large proportion of jobs and if successful boost the confidence of the UK car market. Project leader Matt Weaver says: 'It's a hugely optimistic car, which is no bad thing in these difficult times.'

Nissan have suggested that up to 75% of what we have seen will make it into final production, let's hope so. Keep an eye out on the road next summer for the all new Nissan Qazana.