Nissan meets the engineers of tomorrow

Marco Toro, president and managing director of Nissan Italia, for a training meeting in which he shared all his experience in Nissan with the students. In his career path, which for 29 years has seen him cover 14 different roles in the Japanese company’s organization chart, Marco Toro has shown the students the potential of their course of study, given that he himself obtained a degree in Engineering from the university Neapolitan. Always tied to his roots, Toro explained the importance of opening up to new cultures and adding new skills to one’s cultural baggage, the effectiveness of work flexibility, and revealed some key points of his leadership in which “it is necessary have balance between head and heart”.

In covering such an important role in which he is in contact with various people, he has transferred the concept of family into the world of work and, inspired by the world of football, he has explained the importance of the team and of being an individual at the service of this ‘last. Based on the 4 Hs of Humility, Humor, Honor, Heart, her leadership breaks down hierarchical barriers to bring people together; sets an example through honesty; plays down to transform pressure into a positive element; and encourages you to experience emotions without getting discouraged in the face of adversity, even through a sense of humor. Among the topics covered, the electrification of the car fleet in Italy particularly attracted the attention of the new generations. The current photograph of Toro tells us that, in our country, 44% of cars sold are electrified, while electric ones represent just 4%. “In Italy we are the rear light for the electric one, think that in Germany they account for 17% of the cars sold – explained Toro – we are working with the Government to reduce costs and build more infrastructure”.

Nissan is decidedly in line with the current needs of our market given that in the range it has mild hybrid powertrains, full hybrid power units, the innovative e-power system, electric without plugs, and full electric models such as the Leaf, the ‘Ariya and the Townstar. “To build 27 models, of which 19 electric by 2030, investments in the electrification of the brand will reach 16 billion euros – added Toro – the plan also provides for the creation of solid-state batteries “in house” to reduce charging times 1/3 compared to the current ones, and lower the cost of the battery by 70%, so that an electric car can cost like a thermal one”. Ambitious goals that also include the development of infrastructures, given that cars today can return energy to the distribution network; and for making batteries with lower repair costs, because, as Toro revealed, with cell division they can be repaired for less.

To answer questions about the disposal of batteries, Toro has revealed how they can have a second life by acting as energy accumulators, and that, when they are no longer reusable, they are pulverized to reuse the material they are made of. Finally, the president and managing director of Nissan Italia drew attention to the fact that the goal of zero emissions, which is to be achieved by companies in the automotive sector, goes hand in hand with that of zero accidents.

How? Reducing human error, which today causes more than 80% of road accidents. Devices such as automatic braking, lane departure warning, or the correction that occurs on the steering when you leave your lane have already made their contribution, but new solutions will arrive in the future. “In Japan – concludes Toro – there is already a device that allows you to let go of the wheel if it perceives that your eyes are on the road”. The future of the automotive industry is in the hands of the new generations, which is why Nissan will award a graduate student in the Dieti Master’s Degree Course in Electrical Engineering with a scholarship worth 1,200 euros; and will place two new graduates in the company, through two paid internships for master’s graduates, in the technical and commercial sectors.