Datsun is an automobile brand that was established in Japan in the early 20th century. The brand was originally named Datson, but was later renamed Datsun to reflect a focus on smaller, more affordable vehicles. Datsun became well known for producing a range of affordable and reliable cars, particularly in emerging markets such as Asia and Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s, Datsun was a major player in the global automobile market, with a presence in more than 160 countries. In 1986, Nissan, the parent company of Datsun, decided to phase out the Datsun brand and to use Nissan as its primary brand name.