COLLISION avoidance systems are nothing new in the car industry, employing technologies like radars and laser detection to help vehicles 'sense' impending obstructions.

Nissan has, however, unveiled a new system at its research centre in Japan that's set to up the ante against fellow automakers.

The company on Wednesday showed off its "Forward Collision Avoidance Assist Concept" that it claims can prevent crashes at up to 60km/h - the highest speed for any anti-collision system of its kind.

And it's also optimised to also prevent a nasty rear collision from the car behind whose driver might not have time to brake.

The concept utilizes a highly sensitive radar sensor - likeable to those on airplanes and ships - to monitor the distance from the vehicle in front and its relative speed.

It works in two phases - when deceleration is required, it alerts the driver using both a screen display and sound, then generates a force that pushes the accelerator pedal up and smoothly applies partial braking to bring the speed down.

If there is the possibility of a collision, only then will the system automatically apply harder braking and tighten the driver's seatbelt.

Nissan's new gadgetry See what else the automaker unveiled at its "Advanced Technology Briefing and Test Drive" event held at Yokosuka. (Photos:AFP, Nissan)
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By detecting the vehicle in front at an earlier stage, the system kicks in a smoother deceleration and prevents a rear-end collision from the car behind.

Despite all the high tech wizardry, Nissan says the central focus is still the driver, and assisting him or her intuitively through visual and audio notifications.