Almost everyone I know and love is a human who loves their dogs as much or more than other humans they know. Our dogs are part of our families, and it makes sense that carmakers are beginning to think about that.
Nissan introduced a well thought out concept for people who travel with dogs. It’s called the X-Trail 4Dogs and with features like a two-way dog cam, a builtin dog washer and dryer, and an access ramp, my only question is why is it only a concept?
This should be for sale already!
The X-Trail 4Dogs is the ultimate dog-friendly car based on Nissan’s X-Trail crossover SUV.
The crossover’s luggage compartment has been turned into a dog haven, 15.7 cubic feet with features designed to benefit either the doggie passengers or the dog’s humans.
In a drawer underneith the padded floor of the cargo area is pull-out shower and dog dryer that delivers a jet of air to the wet fur. A second drawer contains a pull out the slide-away ramp so the dogs can walk up to the back of the car. If you’ve ever had to load an older, large dog into a vehicle, you know how helpful a ramp can be.
The padded cargo area is made from premium wipe-clean leather that is easy to clean, and there is a no-spill water bowl and a dog treat dispenser.
A camera system allowing owner and dog to see each other via the seven-inch dashboard display and a 10-inch LCD screen installed into the back. The owner can also talk to the dog via an audio link to keep it calm.
Nissan designed the X-Trail 4Dogs concept after talking to over 1,300 dog owners. It was carried out by The Kennel Club, the UK’s largest and best-known organization for promoting dog health and welfare. Its research revealed:
- Almost all dog owners (99.9 percent) consider their pet to be part of the family
- A similar number (98.7 percent) of owners use their car to transport their dog
- Almost 90 percent (88.9 percent) would buy a car that boasts dog-friendly features
- Nearly 90 percent (88.7 percent) of owners transport their dog in a car at least once a week
- Over 90 percent (90.5 percent) transport their dogs in the car for journeys that last 10 minutes or more
- Over half (54.7 percent) would like their vehicle to be more easily accessible for their dog
- Nearly three-quarters (71.5 percent) transport their dog in the boot space or back seat
- Over half (50.9 percent) said that a large boot space made them believe their car was the right one for transporting their dog
“It’s clear from the research that for dog owners, dogs are a key part of the family,” said Ryan Gains, chief marketing manager, X-Trail. ” Ensuring their pet’s needs are catered for is often just as important as making sure the children are comfortable and happy. The Nissan X-Trail is a car that’s built for family adventures, and the X-Trail 4Dogs concept takes that to the next level.”
The Nissan X-Trail 4Dogs has been designed with every day practicality in mind. The dog bed, water bowl and treat dispenser are all easily removed to create a usable load space – for example, to carry shopping – when the dog is not with the family. The car’s spare wheel is also still accessible.
