Nissan's Latest Feature Reminds You to Check Your Back Seats
It’s called Rear Door Alert and it will be standard 2018 Nissan Pathfinder.
Update: GM has reminded us that the 2017 GMC Acadia, introduced last year, features Rear Seat Reminder which is similar to what Nissan has announced.
As its name suggests, Rear Door Alert will remind drivers to check their rear seats after leaving the vehicle, if the vehicle previously detected that the rear doors were opened. The system uses a series of distinctive honks as the driver is walking away from the vehicle, with the audio alerts distinguishable from other systems available. Basically, Rear Door Alert monitors the rear door switches to detect their open/closed status prior to and after a trip. The system will detect whether a rear door was opened/closed prior to a trip, and if it was not opened again after the trip, once the vehicle is put in park and the ignition is cycled off.
Nissan notes that the system can be easily configured or even turned off temporarily or permanently, if you often toss something in the back of your car that do not need to be removed after one trip.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Nissan Pathfinder Review
The idea comes from Elsa Foley and Marlene Mendoza, both mothers that work for Nissan. “We pushed each other along and knew we were on the right track one morning when Marlene discovered she had left a pan of lasagna in the back seat of her car one night after coming home after a long day at the office,” said Foley. “The worst thing was the car smelled for days, but it made me ask myself, ‘what if that had been something else back there’?”
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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