What are connected cars? Nissan's Nathalie Gu explains how they empower your life

Nathalie Gu – Senior Manager, Connected Car Services Strategy and Marketing Department, Japan

In today's connected car era, our vehicles share the same advanced technology as our mobile phones. Your car does more than get you where you need to go. It can shape your lifestyle, connecting you to hundreds of everyday tasks.

What does it take to build the cars of the future? Or create personalized in-car experiences that are different for every single person? Connected Car Services specialist Nathalie lifts the lid on why her chosen career at Nissan excites her every day.

Nathalie, why do people with a daring spirit and passion for innovation join Nissan?

For so many reasons! But the most important ones are:

• 90+ years of expertise in building cars: Nissan knows how to deliver the three important qualities drivers look for: safety, comfort and the joy of driving.
• Diversity and respect: My team is made up of eight different nationalities. I don't speak Japanese, but that doesn't stop me from working closely with my colleagues. Everyone's voice counts.

How did you get where you are today? Did something spark a passion to work in this field?

I work in Connected Car Services Marketing. I started my career in a 4A advertising agency, spending six years with talented people in creative, customer research and branding. Since then, marketing DNA has been in my blood.

A few years ago, I was given the chance to represent Nissan with a group of experts exploring CASE (connectivity, autonomous driving, shared mobility, electrification).

Talking with start-ups, tech companies, and industry specialists about these exciting topics was a lightbulb moment for me. I knew I wanted to work in connectivity, and that experience opened a new door in my career.

What excites you about your work?

The potential of what's still to come. Connected car services has matured quickly in markets like China, but for most traditional OEMs it's still quite new. Even customers are still exploring little by little. I'm excited to try new things, learn what works, and then move forward.

Any milestones you value most from your journey at Nissan so far?

A very unexpected chapter of my career happened during COVID. I ended up getting stuck for a while in London, alone. But I had the support of the global Nissan team. I managed to turn the experience into a positive, experiencing the digital launch of products like the Ariya world premiere livestream. A big moment!

How did working overseas shape your approach to leadership and teamwork?

My approach to working in Europe was the same one I have now, working in Japan. Communication is the key to a successful team. By changing how we express ourselves and communicate, we integrate better into local cultures. It can be a lifelong learning experience – and immensely rewarding. I've learned so much from team members who come from different backgrounds.

As a connected car expert, what does the future of our industry hold?

I believe that the traditional way of selling cars no longer works; competition is fierce but there's not enough value being delivered for the customer. Focusing on revenue creation by building long-term ownership cycles could be a real blue-sky moment for OEMs. It means we can create more meaningful, valuable customer relationships: a win-win situation for car makers and car owners.