In photos: How Japanese companies envision the future of driving
The Tokyo Motor Show, opening to the public Oct. 30 at Tokyo Big Sight convention hall, will be packed with futuristic eye-catching vehicles that drive themselves, offer online information in dazzling ways and are so green they are zero-emissions. Taking part with their latest offerings are 160 companies, including auto makers, suppliers and motorcycle manufacturers from around the world, but the biggest stars of the Tokyo show are usually the Japanese. There will be 42 'world premiere' vehicles, being unveiled for the first time. Here are six of the most futuristic concepts to be unveiled:
Nissan Teatro for Dayz: The Japanese auto industry is worried how young people here are falling out of love with the car, and appear to be more interested in cellphones, literally spending most of their money on mobile services. Nissan Motor Co.’s Teatro for Dayz concept car is designed with that challenge in mind. - APThe Associated Press
Nissan Teatro for Dayz: The entire inside of the car works like a computer screen, where passengers, even drivers, thanks to self-driving technology, can engage in social media, check email and surf the Internet. - APThe Associated Press
Nissan Teatro for Dayz: Executive Design Director Satoshi Tai says car design usually accentuates power, quality and speed. - APThe Associated Press
Nissan Teatro for Dayz: But these values do not resonate with younger Japanese. “If anything, such car traits just call to mind old-fashioned technology that bears little relevance to their lives,” he said. - APThe Associated Press
Nissan Teatro for Dayz: From concept to interior and exterior design, Teatro for Dayz is simple: a clean canvas. When the car is in drive mode, meters, controls and maps appear on a pure white instrument panel. When parked, Teatro for Dayz transforms into an entirely new device. The entire interior, starting with the instrument panel, becomes a live display for a generation wired for connectivity. - Nissan
Toyota Kirobo: Toyota is showing a simplified and smaller version of the Kirobo robot, a talking humanoid designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, which went into space and returned last year. Kirobo Mini, at 10 centimetres when seated, fits on a person’s palm. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kirobo: It can’t do any heavy lifting, but it’s designed to be a mascot-like companion, raising both its arms in a greeting when it detects an approaching smiling face. Toyota has no immediate sales plans but hopes adding a cute robot will make driving more fun. It only speaks Japanese. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kirobo: Toyota co-operated on the Kirobo space project, working mainly on its voice recognition capabilities, along with the University of Tokyo, JAXA or Japan’s equivalent of NASA and other robotics experts. Toyota has shown robots in the past, including one that plays the trumpet, another that plays the violin, as well as a robot that works as a guide in a Toyota showroom. Honda’s famous walking talking humanoid Asimo is not set to be a major star at its booth this year. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota FCV: Toyota sees compressed hydrogen as the fuel choice in the future as it has a higher energy density than electricity and cars can be fueled faster as compared to charging a battery. - Jordan Chittley
Toyota FCV: The FCV concept may be a hint at what will succeed the Mirai fuel cell vehicle that went on sale in the U.S. this year. - Jordan Chittley
Toyota FCV: “The fuel cell tank is mounted between the front tires and the hydrogen tank behind the rear seat,” reads a statement. This allows for more space in the small car. - Jordan Chittley
Toyota FCV: “Toyota’s aim is to add an all-new sense of purpose to the automobile by turning fuel cell vehicles from eco-cars into energy-cars,” reads a statement. - Jordan Chittley
Honda FCV: Honda Motor Co. is gearing up to challenge Toyota Motor Corp.’s Mirai fuel cell vehicle, which is already on sale, with its own fuel cell car, whose name is set to be announced at the show. It is promised for the Japanese market by the end of March 2016, and set for the U.S. market after that. Fuel cells are hot lately because they have zero emissions, running on the energy created when hydrogen stored in a fuel tank combines with oxygen in the air, and only spits out water. But it is a relatively expensive technology. The Mirai went on sale in the U.S. this month for $57,500 and Toyota plans to sell more than 3,000 Mirai cars in the U.S. by the end of 2017. Mirai, which means “future,” went on sale in Japan in December for 6.7 million yen ($56,000). In both places, it qualifies for green rebates. Toyota has received 1,500 orders for the Mirai in Japan. - AP
Honda FCV: The key feature of the new Honda fuel cell is that the fuel stack is smaller and can fit under the hood where the gas engine usually is, instead of in the bottom, under the seats. This allows more cabin room, making Honda’s fuel cell the first model, planned for commercial production, to seat three people in the back. It travels more than 700 kilometres (430 miles) on a full tank, beating Mirai’s 500 kilometres (310 miles). Toyota is also planning to show a revamped fuel cell, although that’s a concept model without too many details. - APGEOFF ROBINS/AFP / Getty Images
Toyota S-FR: Toyota says the look was inspired by a weatherworn round rock and is supposed to look friendly, without digressing into cute. - Jordan Chittley
Toyota S-FR: Toyota will unveil this sporty, two-door concept that will be a similar size to the Yaris. - Jordan Chittley
Toyota S-FR: Toyota says it is a fun-to-drive lightweight entry-level sports car that “aims to make a whole new generation fall in love with driving.” - Jordan Chittley
Toyota S-FR: Interior
Toyota S-FR
Toyota Kikai: Toyota is showing the fantasmic toy-like Kikai, which means “machine” in Japanese. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kikai: The three-seater concept model that shows the parts of a car usually hidden from view, such as the fuel tank, exhaust pipes and the swiftly moving road underneath. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kikai: Toyota engineers say the model, with no immediate plans for commercial production, emphasizes the idea of craftsmanship, simplicity and movement in a machine. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kikai: “Monozukuri,” or the concept of “making things,” has long been idealized in Japan. - APThe Associated Press
Toyota Kikai: Kikai looks like a cartoonish hodgepodge of parts, defying typical ideas of what a car should look like. “By removing the concealment of sheet metal, the concept expresses the intricate beauty of functional machines and reminds us of the pleasure of tactile contact with the material world,” Toyota said. - APThe Associated Press