TOKYO (AFP) - Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. on Friday unveiled a new version of its egg-shaped Pivo concept car that can drive sideways and has a small robot to assist with navigation or calm down angry drivers.
The Pivo 2 three-seater electric car has wheels that can turn 90 degrees for easy parallel parking.
Like its predecessor, which was unveiled two years ago, the new Pivo has a cabin able to revolve 360 degrees, eliminating the need to reverse.
A round-eyed robot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy.
“You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 metres ahead on the left,” it told a driver with drooping eyelids during a recent demonstration.
It can also nod or shake its head, helping to improve the mood of irate or glum drivers.
The car has “by-wire” technologies that use electric signals in the steering and braking.
Unlike the first Pivo, it has no axles. Instead it has four separate electric motors, allowing the wheels to turn further than a conventional car.
The Pivo 2 will be exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show near the capital from October 27.
looks like a nice step for electric vehicles… add features not previous to any other vehicle for both convenience and monitoring. Improves the experience of driving.
Americans will be afraid of giving up their usual automobile for one of these. It is too much change at once, but i bet this will work well in Japan, they are usually more open to radical changes.
As a former professional mechanic, I don’t think a suspension system that also allows wheels to rotate 90 degrees could reliable maintain alignment for 50K miles, much less survive our mid-west roads for 250K miles.
Nissan is the best among these two .
A good fuel efficiency in a suppercar is rear combination and we have it right here with the Nissan. The next engine option to appear in the majestic beauty if the Bluetec diesel engines, which might not assure the same frugality bt is still a name that Mercedes Benz highly acclaim. The 3 Liter, V6 Diesel engine is expected to smoke out a peak power of 210 Bhp with 540 Nm of highest torque. With these heart taking figures above one can claim it one of those cars getting faster and stronger performance .
I have seen its pictures on net.It’s awesome.The car is packed with not only looks, style, interiors, and exteriors but with many comfort features to attract huge number of car lovers.
