With the hope of providing children with an opportunity to think about the environment and automobiles through fuel cell vehicles (FCV), Nissan on August 2, 2005 provided two FCVs to the "UniLab (University Laboratory)," which is conducted for elementary students by the Waseda University Department of Science and Engineering during summer vacation every year, as vehicles for display and test drives.

The learning event was entitled "Be friendly to the environment: take a ride in a fuel cell vehicle." The participants were taken along for test-drives in FCVs around campus buildings, and were given commemorative items such as booklets and paper fans. Despite the intense heat, the event was well-received, with approximately 260 people participating in test drives. FCVs were also put on display at the venue. Not only the children, but also parents and Waseda University students showed great interest in these vehicles which do not pollute the air.

Through participating in UniLab, thanks to Waseda university, Nissan was able to bring many people in contact with the company's efforts in technology and environmental friendliness. This event, which provided children with an opportunity to think about the motorized society of the future by having them come in contact with an advanced technology, appears to have been an investment for the future.

• With the help of Waseda University, approximately 260 elementary school children and their parents as well as university students were able to experience Nissan X-TRAIL FCV test drives. There is a possibility that FCVs will be common around the time these children become adults, and I believe that perhaps this experience was useful in nurturing future environmentally-minded people and Nissan fans.
• As for my overall impression, I was surprised at the high level of awareness and anticipation that the participants had with regard to fuel cell vehicles. Many of the parents who test drove the FCVs with their children were people who drove a hybrid or people who had a strong awareness regarding environmentally-friendly vehicles which have no harmful emissions, and I had not thought that FCVs were that well-recognized. I became fully aware that reliably continuing technological developments such as FCVs is important.
• It has been said that there is a movement away from math and science, but the many visitors who came the event conveyed interest in the FCV with comments like "How does it work? It is so interesting!" and it was worthwhile in terms of public relations. Through the children and students who came to the event and exhibition, I was able to directly come in contact with simple doubts and interest regarding FCVs, and it turned out to be a very meaningful day.