Nissan Created A New Christmas Carol Using The Leaf’s Pedestrian Warning System

Nissan is getting into the holiday spirit as they’ve used the Leaf’s pedestrian warning system to create a so-called Canto Carol.

In order to comply with upcoming safety regulations in the United States, the 2020 Leaf features an updated pedestrian warning system that now produces a constant tone – known as a Canto – when moving forward at speeds under 18.6 mph (30 km/h). The model also makes a “pulsing chime” when reversing.

While the sounds are designed to save lives, Nissan decided to use them to create a new holiday jingle. As part of this process, they mixed the two pedestrian warning sounds with Jingle Bells and Angels We Have Heard on High. The company says the resulting Canto Carol is a “first-of-its-kind holiday earworm … with a high-tech electronic feel.”

Also Read: US Could Allow Future EVs To Have Multiple Sound Options For Their Pedestrian Warning Systems

While the Canto Carol isn’t destined to become a holiday hit, it be released on popular streaming services on December 20th to celebrate National Go Caroling Day. All proceeds generated from the song, until December 31st, 2020, will benefit the Urban Green Lab which is a non-profit organization focused on teaching sustainable living.

Getting back to the 2020 Leaf, the model will go on sale later this month and now come standard with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of driver assistance systems. It includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Other highlights include High Beam Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning.

Nissan didn’t mention any other changes, so the standard model should use a familiar 40 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor that develops 147 hp (110 kW / 149 PS) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque.

If the standard’s model range of 150 miles (241 km) isn’t enough, the Leaf Plus has a larger 62 kWh battery which increases the range to 226 miles (364 km). The model also has a more powerful electric motor that develops 214 hp (160 kW / 217 PS) and 250 lb-ft (339 Nm) of torque.