Nissan's new CEO Ivan Espinosa is betting heavily on self-driving vehicles to secure the company's future as a contract manufacturer to tech firms. Speaking from Yokohama headquarters, the 47-year-old executive emphasized that Nissan's engineering expertise in autonomous technology, electric drive systems, and software would protect it from becoming a low-margin commodity producer.

Espinosa's vision comes as he executes a sweeping restructuring after Nissan posted two consecutive annual losses exceeding $4 billion. Since taking charge a year ago, he has slashed 20,000 jobs, selected seven factories for closure, and implemented ¥500 billion ($3.1 billion) in annual cost cuts. Sales have declined from 5.8 million vehicles in 2017 to 3.2 million in 2025, prompting a barrage of new product launches.

This month, Nissan partnered with Uber and UK self-driving startup Wayve to launch Nissan Leaf robotaxis in Tokyo, targeting Japan's taxi market dominated by Toyota. While some analysts question whether Nissan can compete with deep-pocketed rivals like Waymo and Tesla, Espinosa argues the company's dealer network, service infrastructure, and charging technology provide unique advantages that tech firms cannot replicate.