Toyota blurs the lines between man and machine
As Japan's biggest and most influential car company, Toyota always saves something very special for the only official international auto show held on its home soil.
And this year is no exception, as the company is preparing three fascinating concept cars plus a robotic companion that keeps drivers company on long trips for their world debuts.
In recent months rumors have been building that Toyota and BMW are co-developing a new super sportscar and as if to add grist to the mill, one of its concept cars, the S-FR, is indeed of the sports variety.
But instead of big engines and cutting-edge technology, the car is all about simplicity and driver engagement. And with a front-mounted engine positioned slightly behind the front axle, rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission and independent suspension, it certainly sounds like the perfect automotive recipe for fun no matter what the conditions. The company says that the car should be seen as the latest in a long line of similarly simple yet entertaining Toyotas, and that it was created with serious drivers and serious customizers in mind.
The KIKAI is a car that's been turned inside out so that the elements usally hidden by panels are on full display. An exploration of mechanical beauty and forming an emotional connection with machinery, like the S-FR, the KIKAI is an attempt to make the driver feel like part of the process, literally. This car even has a glass floor so that tire contact, suspension movement and the brakes can all be seen in action.
Toyota's first production hydrogen fuel cell car is already on sale but for this year's show, the company is taking the environmentally friendly power source to new levels with the FCV Plus. It uses clever internal packaging so that cabin space is optimized and is capable of plugging into the grid to share power -- harvested from hydrogen in the air -- with the local community, when not being used as a mode of transport.
However, perhaps the most unique concept is the Kirobo Mini, which is a 1-meter tall "communication partner" capable, the company claims, of interacting with people through facial expressions and gestures. And the reason? To make people feel happy and connected as they go about their daily routine.
The Tokyo motor show opens to the public on October 30.
