I tried Nissan's challenger to Tesla Autopilot — and it was a dream to use in traffic

2017 nissan LEAF

Nissan is giving its Leaf a big upgrade in 2018 as the Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3 pose greater competition in the electric-vehicle market.

Aside from an expected longer range, the Leaf will be the first vehicle to feature Nissan's ProPilot Assist. As a level 2 self-driving system, it won't let you kick back and relax with your hands off the wheel. But it can take over on a highway, even handling incessant braking in stop-and-go traffic.

I recently got a sneak preview of the system on a Nissan Rogue prototype in New York City. Here's what it was like to use:

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ProPilot Assist is a driver-assistance tool that's meant to take the stress out of highway driving. It's essentially an advanced cruise control: it keeps the car in its lane even when approaching curves and traffic slowdowns.

ProPilot Assist is powered by a front-forward radar, camera, and sensors. The system relies on clear lane markings to keep the car center on a highway.

The system isn't without its flaws; it has trouble detecting the contrast between the lane markings and the road in heavy bouts of rain. For that reason, the system will not work if the windshield wipers are on their fastest setting.

ProPilot Assist's limitations make it strictly a driver-assistance tool. Still, the system is one step toward getting self-driving technology in consumer vehicles, said Andy Christensen, senior manager at Nissan's Technical Center in North America. The Japanese automaker has said cars won't be fully autonomous until 2022 the earliest.