It?s a peek into the future, which looks exciting (though some may find it strange too). Vehicle concepts?a crystal gaze into the future of our automobiles?is something that has excited motoring aficionados for long and troubled the brains behind them in equal measure. Its a fight, a fight to ?guess? the future, define future trends and outline the roadmap for years ahead.
Tokyo Motor Show was just the right place for those wanting to ?know the future? and it didn?t disappoint at that, what with many ?strange, yet innovative? design concepts on display.
First, one of the most innovative of them all, the ?Puyo? concept from Honda Motor Co. Who would have thought that silicone, widely used to enhance human body curves, would shape the body curves of a car? That?s the ?new idea in mobility? floated by Honda with its ?seamless soft box? Puyo. The fuel cell car, that has a joystick instead of the conventional steering, is Honda?s idea of coming out with a personable design with the ?feel of an adorable pet?.
Honda says Puyo is a Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses the sensation of touching the vehicle?s soft body, and you better trust it when it says that. The Puyo?s ?gel body? features soft materials to promote greater real-world safety, protecting pedestrians in case of collisions. The body of the Puyo lacks sharp edges and, hold on, it glows in the dark.
The Puyo can turn a 360-degree while on the same spot and has the ?silky feel? interior with controls rising up through the stretching membrane when the fuel-cell car starts up. ?We wanted to use something human or animal like, something that is soft and warm and gentle,? a designer at the Honda pavilion told FE while explaining the use of silicon resin on the exterior.
The attempt, he said, was to ?give a character? to the car. ?We wanted it to have a personality, a character, something like a companion or a pet. It should not be an ordinary vehicle one uses everyday but one that connects,? he said. When asked when the car could see the light of the day, he smiled, ?Difficult to say. Who knows 2020 or even before. But one thing is for sure, the attempt is to make cars friendly and kind to people.?
But if you thought that Honda was the only one thinking out of the box, see the Pivo2 concept from Nissan. Don?t go only for the cute design of the car. It is actually very intelligent. Intelligent enough to sense your mood and pamper you accordingly. ?If you look sad, it will ask you to ?cheer up?. Or it will tell you, ?let?s go out to the coffee shop?. There is a robot inside the car that through a camera on board recognises your facial and eye movement to judge whether you are sad, happy, hungry, sad or sleepy,? said Masahiko Tabe, Senior Manager (Advanced Vehicle Development Group) at Nissan?s Technology Development Division.
The system also swings into action to combat road rage by providing soothing messages and friendly words of advice and asking you not to worry, tells Tabe. Entry into the car is from a front door and can seat three, including the driver who is positioned in the centre of the vehicle.
The Pivo 2, a second version of the original Pivo concept unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, is an electric car with a lithium-ion battery capable of running 120 kms on a charge. It features a unique rotating cabin and each of its four wheels are powered by Nissan?s electric in-wheel 3D motor and can turn through 90 degrees to allow Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward. ?The cute looks are meant to target the younger female ladies and city commuters. It is a friendly vehicle and aims at keeping the driver happy at all times, lessening the risk of accidents,? says Tabe.
But if you though that the vehicle that Pivo2 means that Pivo1 would already be on the road, all we can tell you that is don?t be so hopeful. They are concepts and may remain so like that?but one never knows.
Then there is the Toyota stable. The Hi-CT was certainly one of them. A departure from the conventional vehicles, the Hi-CT is an edgy urban vehicle inspired by the thinking and lifestyles of the youth. With a curved vertical front, it has the shape similar to a mini-railway engine. The car, that adopts a plug-in hybrid technology that allows it to charge from an external power source, features a removable rear trunk and a deck where surfboards, bicycles and other equipment can be loaded.
Next is the Toyota RiN, that focuses on ?increased comfort? and ?serene healthy living?. Akin to a 5-star spa, the RiN promotes a healthier well-being, thanks to features such as seats that help maintain good back posture and image displays aligned with the driver?s psychological state that are conveyed within the meter cluster of the ?mood training? steering control. In addition to the comfortable heated seats, an oxygen-level conditioner and pinpoint humidifier uses green glass that reduces infiltration of UV and infrared light and makes the ambience even brighter to increase cabin comfort.
But then there was also the Toyota 1/X, a vehicle that weighs only 1/Xth that of other vehicles in its class. To reach the desired weight, 1/X uses light but rigid carbon fibre reinforced plastic throughout the body frame to ensure superior collision safety, while allowing narrower pillars for a better field of vision. It sports a plug-in hybrid power train with a displacement of only 500cc that allows charging from an external power source.
Amidst all this was also the ?super-cool? Mazda Taiki. The Taiki further establishes the ?flow? theme to establish a breathtaking presence and Mazda says the effort is to create ?a design that visually expresses the flow of air?. The design ?was inspired by the image of a pair of Hagoromo?the flowing robes in Japanese legend that enable a celestial maiden? and the car showcases Mazda?s next-generation Renesis rotary engine.
Wondering at the marvels, all one can hope is that the dream machines actually hit the roads soon and prove to be a pleasure just as much as a rage they appear to be.