Pivo2


So whats so special about this car?
- The cockpit can turn 360 degrees. Useful for when you can't be bothered to turn your head.
- All four wheels can turn 90 degrees so that the car can move side ways - useful for parking (photos below.)
- Comes with a robot with its head sticking out the dashboard just like R2D2 in an x-xing.
- The robot speaks to you, fetches and reads your mail to you and wakes you up if you look sleepy.
- The robot will sniff your fart and tell you whether you had too much spicy food last night.
- It looks cool.
Update: Thanks to Hajime Saito for finding the video! Via NihonCar and It Media.













If you are interested in reading about life in Japan, seeing photos taken daily around Tokyo, like Japanese subculture (anime, manga, figures, Dollfies) then you may want to start delving into the Japan or Figure categories for a start or have a gander at all photo articles.
If you don't have much time now, maybe subscribe to the RSS Feed, Twitter Feed or join the other readers in the FaceBook Page.
Alternatively, you may want to read more about the site.
If you are a regular reader then this message will probably annoy you each time - hide it forever.
-Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)




















Tow dispatcher
Would not want to drive it. I would actually like to live.
http://fignews.gyapon.com
I wouldnt want one even if you pay me... it's seriously too ugly
Pirate cat
http://www.artbypavel.com
Hahaha that looks funky!
My biggest question is - where on earth is the engine?! And how fast can this thing go, atm it looks like something that will do a max of 60km/h. Doesn't look too safe either, like driving in an egg shell.
Student
If I were an person with lack of attention, than yes, I would get the Piv2. ^^;
Publisher
Looks quite cool...not sure if I'd want to be in one in case of a carcrash though. Speaking og Nissan did you see the Nissan Pino (www.pinoshop.jp). It is the most Kawaii car ever. It has an enormous selection of acessories (seat covers, tissue dispenser, stuffed animal, matching handbags, stickers, cd cases). You can drag and drop your selection to the car and decorate it with stickers. Pino is a reference to Disney's pinocchio. aooarently it has been selling well.
2nd year Civil Engineering Student
http://soonkiong.blogspot.com
maybe in the far far future, when cars like this are the norm. then I might want to buy it.
web head
I'd love to drive one... I'd never get laid again...
Professional Student
There's no way I'd ever drive that thing!
mahou kishi
http://www.animedia.com.mx
perfect car for the city, most people here dont like it, because they dont know what is to be in big cities, big cars sucks in cities
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Hajime,
Thanks for the find - updated the post with your video.
Didn't catch any details regarding how fast it goes.
student
look like a pod with a wheel to me...
let's just hope the design get better in future
Student, ...someday...zzz
it looks ugly >_> and from the looks of it i dont think anyone would wanna drive a sphere around town....
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
http://www.moeside.net/weblog
If they designed the vehicle to be slimmer and cooler, won't mind getting it.
I prefer 3D holographic anime girls to be the robot instead, and with a nice voice ^^;
lecherous wretch
http://graeble.deviantart.com/
i wouldnt be able to drive with a holographic anime character reading me my emails. i would probably end up going to my car to check my emails!
Researching drug to conceal weaknesses
i'd definitely drive that!
just to get ppl to wonder wtf it is!
Student
http://www.xfire.com/profile/power1x1/
more like a ride from an amusement park T_T lollersk8's...
Tow dispatcher
You know, I bet the Pivo2 runs of a large 400 Volt battery and an electric engine. No exhaust pipe, so it was have to be true.
student
http://animesugoi.animeblogger.net/
I like my Camry just fine thank you lol. Something like that here is begging to be scratched or stolen.
IT monkey/consultant
As handy as that looks like it could be for parking, it doesn't look practical for too much else.
I definitely don't want a car that's so controlled by computer, either. My own car's anti-lock brakes and traction control have nearly killed me, and the rest of the electronics aggravate me severely. Even if the computer were infallible, I would much prefer to be responsible for myself.
fugly compared to the previous concept car (from cant remember which maker)
Student
I wish they are ganna come out one in America.
Although they will need to make it biiger since people here are fat.
Wont be long some people will make a itasha out of it.
Student
it seems like its freaking slow lol.i wonder how fast this fragile car can go. A little damage dont to the computer might cause this whole car to malfunction and leaving the driver trap inside ? is this idea workable ? lol. Or its just for people who cant pass their license due to parallel parking ?
anime/cosplay events organizer
http://www.cosplay.ph
i would love and don't mind drving one ^^
i really would like to see the "WTF!!!111!!shiftoneone" faces of the people who would see me driving that XDDD
Engineer
If all the wheels can turn at right angles, it should mean that there are no shafts running across the car. Therefore for it to move, it requires 4 independent motors on all wheels imo. Therefore maintanence for such a car will be troublesome as all motors have to sync properly for the car to move straight + the top speed of that car should be quite low due to the small engines. Not too sure if thats how it works.
Mad scientist
actually it's quite easy to control rotation speed on modern electric engines. What you do is you take the DC and convert it to AC (usually 3 phased since it provides constant power). Modern 3 phased engines are durable and have the really nice ability that 1 Hz = 1 round/sec (minus a small factor based on delivered force in the engine). Compared to using DC engines this results in smaller engines, less maintenance needed for the engines, more resistant to the environment (DC engines needs an airflow though them which can suck in rain and snow while AC are sealed) and higher efficiency (even when including the power loss in the DC->AC conversion). Controlling the wheels in order to drive like you want isn't an issue.
The car's ability to turn the "egg" is not due to lazy drivers not bothering to turn their heads but to improve visibility. Also if you parallel park you can turn the egg to a direction so you avoid leaving towards the street. It can also turn 180 degrees and that's a really quick way to turn the car around. You don't have to reverse in or out of any parking spots anymore.
The only thing that could prevent me from buying such a car (besides not having the need to drive in cities) would be safety but I'm sure Honda will think of something regarding safety before starting a production.
Mad scientist
I have a little update.
I saw some electric car developers on TV and they talked about a solution with engines inside the wheels to eliminate gearing and other weak spots and increase efficiency. However this would only work if they control the engines like I described. Surprisingly they estimate that the weight of the wheels would only increase 40 kg by doing this and since you save so much elsewhere you would get a really light car.
NEET (no, student, AND employed min. wage)
http://otterhangar.blogspot.com/
now, to make a Doraemon car out of it
Student
http://gooddayforlemontea.blogspot.com/
These new car is a step closer to the ones you see in sci-fi movies than any other I have heard of so far. The little robot is kinda like an AutoReiv from ergo proxy. The car is quite hi-tech too. The only problem - seems like its waaaaaaay to slow
Student
http://l-lawliet.nutang.com/
Quite a useless invention imo.
Costume Talent, Stormtrooper, Student, Writer
http://akxd.wordpress.com/
Appeared on ChannelnewsAsia last night. Pretty interesting stuff.
IT-オタク
http://picasaweb.google.com/ait.meijin
@erdpilz: lol! And just the same thing in russian language. ^^ Funny car!
Web Design & Development
http://www.nerdculture.org
It's definitely a step in the right direction, but it needs some improvement on the appearance.
Student
http://reira.zuiken.net/
if you paint it orange it looks like Cinderella's Pumpkin Carriage.. I'd rather buy a bump car instead of one of this xD
Student
http://animestuff.wordpress.com/
This car isn't new, I saw it perhaps last year or two years ago in television in one of those car shows they do annually but can't remember if it was in Europe, America or Japan but I clearly remember this car.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
CrazyAnimeTuga,
The car you saw before was the Pivo1 - this is the pivo2 with many upgrades and a step closer to being on the roads.
Student
http://chraen.wordpress.com
I'd want to drive that on the Singapore roads ^^
And you're kidding about the fart part right?
Anime Store Owner, artist, Web master
http://www.chucksanimeshrine.com
I will so own that...and New York needs them to help with the traffic problems.
Video Game Design Student / Monster Hunter
Hmm...not quite sure what to say...its a brilliantinvention, and it clearly works, so in that field it is very good, but i'm still trying to take in the whole image, i'm not sure weather its cool or strange...can something be cool and strange o.O? Hmm...i would drive one so long as i wasn't the only one driving one xD
medicine student & otaku
well well new Tech! i wonder if that car will use a lot of gas o is it gonna be Hybrid?? luv the design, the robot @ the color too!!
student
http://myspace.com/purdynolan
dose any one know how fast it gos?
looks really slow to me
student
http://myspace.com/purdynolan
man i can't spell lol
goes*
.NET/Web Developer
http://scrumptious.animeblogger.net
Love the features of the car! Now if only they'd make a bigger version of that. That prototype is just too small. ^^
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
How's the speed on that? Looks kinda slow...
But anyways, I like it! Thing's probably never getting here.. just wouldn't work..
But like I said to some friends sooner today: I don't own a car... I own a vehicle. Meaning I'm not really into car stuff, car models, car tuning and stuff like that. I only have a car for transportation purposes only.
Comic Artist, writer
http://jimmykitty.com
I love all the comments about what is clearly a concept car... not a real car. Innovative ideas need to work first. Style comes later. I'm glad someone is thinking outside the box beyond the antique early 1900's engine and wheels box. Whatever the final version is, or what car the final technology will end up in, I'm all for making a better mouse trap.
Student
Cool ideas...but lame design. Also doesn't look like it'll protect you much in an accident...
Hikikomori in the making
http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/
I LOLed at the robot will tell you if you had had to much spicy food...
I think it looks like a toy more than a vehicle, but it does look cool and may even be the car of the future...
Student/ Freelance
car with Haro-like navigation? XD
90's F1 Afficionate and Anti-Otaku
http://www.livestream.com/f1action
Back in 1991, When Choo-san was British, the birth of the Nissan Zaurus Jr. Cup was product of the withdrawl of the Zaurus Concept car fom the drawing boards