Vehicle manufacturer Nissan has unveiled research that will enable vehicles to interpret signals from the driver’s brain, redefining how people interact with their cars.

The company’s Brain-to-Vehicle, or B2V, technology promises to speed up reaction times for drivers. Nissan says it will also lead to cars that keep adapting to make driving more enjoyable.

“When most people think about autonomous driving, they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines. Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable,” said Nissan Executive Vice President Daniele Schillaci. “Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are moving people to a better world by delivering more autonomy, more electrification and more connectivity.”

B2V is the result of Nissan’s research into using brain decoding technology to predict a driver’s actions and detect discomfort. For example, by catching signs that the driver’s brain is about to initiate a movement – such as turning the steering wheel or pushing the accelerator pedal – driver assist technologies can begin the action more quickly. According to Nissan, this can improve reaction times and enhance manual driving.

Other possible uses include adjusting the vehicle’s internal environment. Dr. Lucian Gheorghe, Senior Innovation Researcher at the Nissan Research Center in Japan, who’s leading the B2V research, says the technology can use augmented reality to adjust what the driver sees and create a more relaxing environment.

“The potential applications of the technology are incredible,” Gheorghe said. “This research will be a catalyst for more Nissan innovation inside our vehicles in the years to come.”