In a recent revelation, Nissan, a top Japanese automotive brand, has taken steps towards Web3. The automotive firm has become the latest car manufacturer to ramp up its efforts towards Web3.
Sources reveal that Nissan has filed four new Web3-related trademarks filed in the United States, while its Japan unit is experimenting with auto sales in the metaverse. According to the trademark applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the new filings cover its Infiniti, Nismo, and Nissan brands.
Mike Kondoudis, a trademark attorney at the USPTO took to Twitter to announce Nissan’s fillings. He added that Nissan plans to create virtual clothes, cars, headgear, trading cards, toys, tickets, and a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace for trading and minting NFTs.
Additionally, Nissan outlined plans for metaverse advertising services and other “entertainment services” including online videos, images, artwork, tickets, audio, sounds, music, and trading cards. Not just that, the automotive brand will also launch a website that has information on everything about Nissan’s proposed NFTs and how they will work.
According to USPTO filings, there are also plans for “non-downloadable computer software for use as a digital wallet.” Last week, the Japanese branch of Nissan announced that it has started conducting a three-month “demonstration experiment” of its virtual store “Nissan Hype Lab.”
The metaverse integrated platform is to “study, consult, test drive, and purchase Nissan vehicles.” The trial is scheduled to run from March 8 to June 30 and will allow customers to visit the virtual storefront “24 hours a day” using a computer or smartphone.
According to the announcement, customers can create their customized avatars and between certain hours, can even interact with virtual sales staff. Additionally, they can place orders for the car and finalize purchase contracts through Nissan’s virtual sales office. Below is an image from Nissan’s virtual Hype Lab.
Notably, the firm wants to expand its scope in the metaverse and try out new features. Quoting a statement from Nissan:
At the same time, we will examine the possibility of new sales methods for cars.
However, this is not the first time Nissan has decided to adopt the new technology, In October 2022, it filed five trademark applications for some of its more prominent car models, including SKYLINE, Z, and GTR. At that time, Kondoudis said the car brand’s filings signaled plans for NFT-backed media, online NFT marketplaces, digital wallets, NFT minting, trading, and storing software.
Companies don’t want to be left out in this race of adopting new technologies and methods to offer their clients top-notch services. In recent times, several automotive firms have upgraded their plans and have taken a step towards Web3 and blockchain. In December, the German multinational automotive corporation Mercedes Benz AG group filed for licenses for digital currency, NFTs, retail stores for virtual vehicle parts, and cryptocurrency trading, among others.
Companies who have been carrying out trials and tests in the metaverse have highlighted its benefits and set high targets. Renault, a French manufacturer of automobiles, declared in November that it is operating an industrial metaverse of its operations, powered by many procedures that enable it to track data from all of its production lines.
This industrial reality involves connecting production lines, keeping an eye on the entire supply chain, and controlling practically all supply flows. They also said that implementing this technology will have a significant positive impact, including projected savings of $320 million by 2025.
Nonetheless, it is interesting to see that the interest of the firms in Web3 and metaverse hasn’t been hindered by the bearish market of 2022. Kondoudis said that there were record numbers of trademark applications for NFTs, metaverse, and crypto-related products in 2022.