Aug. 7, 2008 - Nissan has developed an "Eco Pedal" system that prevents drivers from giving their vehicles too much gas.

The system features a control mechanism that gently pushes back against the driver's foot if it senses that too much pressure is being applied to the gas pedal.

In addition to saving fuel, the Eco Pedal is designed to educate drivers on efficient driving habits. The system comes equipped with an "eco-driving indicator" built into the instrument panel, which provides real-time feedback on the driver's fuel consumption.

Drivers who use the Eco Pedal system can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10%, according to Nissan's internal research.

Nissan expects to begin selling its Eco Pedal system in 2009.

Nissan is looking at a range of new environmental technologies as part of its Green Program 2010. Yesterday, the company unveiled two new concept cars that run on a lithium-ion battery. Nissan says it plans to bring an all-electric vehicle to market by 2010.