With the Tokyo Motor Show around the corner, Toyota has promised an environmentally-friendly lineup of concepts that could turn out to be fun to drive as well.
With the Tokyo Motor Show around the corner, Toyota has promised an environmentally-friendly lineup of concepts that could turn out to be fun to drive as well.
The line-up includes four quirky models that can even be said to possess minds of their own! This is particularly true of the PM (Personal Mobility) that has been labelled as ‘the car that likes to socialise’ mainly because it is able to ‘chat’ to other PM’s and ‘share’ information. These vehicles are able to communicate different emotions too using LED on body panels, lights and rear wheels.
This one-person vehicle comprises what is described as a pod-shaped cabin with pistol grip controls for by-wiring steering, braking and acceleration. These cars can move around in groups too, with only the front car needing to be steered or have its navigation system programmed. The angle of the cabin and length of wheelbase adjust according to driving conditions, standing tall for walk-in access, dropping slightly for urban driving and fully extending for high-speed motoring!
In the Fine-N, fuel cell technology has been optimised with the hydrogen fuel stack measuring just 150 mm and housed in the floor of the car along with the lithium ion battery. This car uses by-wire steering, braking and throttles too and is protected by a face recognition system that authenticates the driver before automatically unlocking. At a click of the seatbelt, the driver’s personal profile is also triggered, recalling stored steering, ventilation and audio settings (amongst others). The Fine-N also features greater cabin space, boasting the roominess of the Camry within the body of a Corolla-sized vehicle.
And lastly, the CS&S had its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and will move on to join Toyota’s line-up of concept cars at Tokyo. A 2+2 roadster, it is the world’s first hybrid power sports car, using a combination of a 1,5-litre petrol engine driving the rear wheels and an electric motor powering the front wheels.
The CS&S also marks the first application of Toyota Space Touch, which presents controls for audio, navigation and email systems as holographic projections that appear to float in front of the driver. Not too sure whether this is to distract the driver or to ensure that his eye is kept on the road at all times though…