Author Topic: "Cute" cars from Japan's big three  (Read 1435 times)

Offline Paddy

  • Administrator
  • TS Addict
  • *****
  • Posts: 13797
    • View Profile
    • https://www.paddyduncan.com
"Cute" cars from Japan's big three
« on: October 09, 2007, 11:47:34 PM »
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20071010/D8S64A980.html

QUOTE
Honda Motor Co. (HMC) even says its white bubble-shaped rubbery-surfaced Puyo, equipped with a panoramic window, is supposed to be a pet. The cabin part of Puyo, a fuel-cell vehicle, rotates so it never has to go into reverse.

The body glows in various colors of lighting to communicate with people, such as turning green when it's happy about its condition, according to Honda. The speedometer glows in a subdued blue tone from its dashboard that resembles gray cloth so the interior feels more like a room.

....To make sure its message of cuteness isn't lost on visitors at the Tokyo Motor Show, opening to the public Oct. 27, Pivo, derived from "pivot," has a bobbing robotic head near the steering wheel that talks in a high-pitched voice.


For some reason or other I have visions of Japanese car designers being forced to watch endless Teletubby re-runs. biggrin.gif

Though these features would come in handy when parking in cities like Paris (still can't figure out how anyone gets OUT of a parking space there, considering how they park each other in so the bumpers touch...)

QUOTE
The cabin of Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY)'s Pivo 2, an electric vehicle, can rotate on its wheel base so that it can face the opposite direction. The vehicle's tires can also turn 90 degrees, allowing it move sideways into tight spaces.

"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline Gregg

  • TS Addict
  • *****
  • Posts: 11748
    • View Profile
    • http://
"Cute" cars from Japan's big three
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2007, 07:28:26 AM »
Saw that "bubblemobile" on the TV news. How does one tell if you're coming or going???? wacko.gif
Ya gotta applaud those bunnies for sacrificing their hearing just so some guy in Cupertino can have better TV reception.

Offline RNKIII

  • Administrator
  • TS Addict
  • *****
  • Posts: 2160
    • View Profile
    • http://
"Cute" cars from Japan's big three
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2007, 07:58:48 AM »
If the motor is on then you're 'going' if it's off then you're not!!

Bob K.   rnkiii
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to
use the Net and he won't bother you for weeks.