An Automobile With Feelings (Toyota invents auto with facial expressions)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/technology/26patent.html?ex=1091419200&en=d20cb5eca1169d24&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1

THE expression "road rage" usually refers to infuriated drivers who lose control of their temper and lash out at other motorists. But what if a car could also express anger, crouching low on its wheel base and glowering with red headlights like a lion about to pounce?

Four inventors working for Toyota in Japan have won a patent for a car that they say can help drivers communicate better by glaring angrily at another car cutting through traffic as well as appear to cry, laugh, wink, or just look around.

The inventors explain in the patent that they want drivers to have more than a one-note horn and on-off headlights to signal other drivers. The horn sounds the same, they write, whether a driver is "asking for permission to cut in front and in showing gratitude for having been allowed to cut in front," so other people often do not know what the honking is about.

That was not good enough for the inventors - Kenji Mori, Naoto Kitagawa, Akihiro Inukai and Simon Humprhies - who work for Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha of Japan, which owns the United States patent issued last month. In it they describe a car with an antenna that wags, an adjustable body height, headlights that vary in intensity, and hood slits and ornamentation designed to look like eyebrows, eyelids and tears, all of which could glow with colored lights to create moods and physical features.



A drawing of a car with facial expressions. Inventors said they wanted drivers to have more than a horn and headlights to signal other drivers

[Wonk]

1. Is it just me or does that seem like a really dumb waste of money?

[Democat]

6. It's not a waste of money, they are encouraging creativity

The big car manufacturers always have crazy projects going on - it's part of the development process. It doesn't mean that any of this will end up in a production car, but they may learn things from this project that they can apply in others.

[KittyWampus]

23. I'd Rather They Invent A Car That Uses A Thimblefull Of Gas

that would certainly be more useful at this stage of Human Evolution.

And-

CARS ALREADY HAVE EXPRESSIONS! The Freaking DRIVERS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT!

[KareBear]

2. I think its kinda nifty but...

I can't see how it would ever be LEGAL in the States. They bust us for neon under the car, or for wiper fluid sprayer nozzels that light up. What would they do for eyebrows? LOL

[The Night Owl]

3. I always knew Sid and Marty Kroft were prophets.

[PartyPooper]

4. This reminds me of Stephen King's "Christine".

Does anybody besides me remember this great film?

:evilgrin:

[moof]

11. Yes, great film, 8.9

[dbt]

12. Excuse me, PartyPooper and moof!

Great book, no doubt. But I thought the movie both sucked and blew (at the same time) in comparison.

:evilgrin:
dbt

His unending Fury...

[Dover]

5. My mother the car...a little tear for not letting one's car cut in.......

ROAD GUILT! oiy!

[amber dog democrat]

7. affect in cars ?

How do you know they are not lying ?

[KansDem]

17. Good point!!

Will Bush's limousine every be driven under oath?

[amber dog democrat]

18. place your right tire on the bible

and honk after me.

[jpgray]

8. I think some Japanese engineers secretly want to make giant walking robots

But perhaps that's a stereotype I've picked up from chance viewings of anime and Honda commercials. The robot would also have a mysterious or unusual relationship with its father. :D

[Eurobabe]

9. wouldn't this R&D time be better served by

finding a way to make cars that don't run on oil? Gimme a f'ing BRAKE!

[xchrom]

10. just what i need

already i can't keep up with the jonses:eyes:

[cthrumatrix]

13. but they can't improve gas mileage.....makes perfect sense

[demnan]

14. I'd like a car that could give the finger

to all those stupid bastards who have to cut in!


So there!

[LiberalEsto]

15. How about a car that says 'Go Cheney Yourself?' n/t

[bleedingheart]

16. phenomenal gas mileage is higher on my list of wants

but people like stuff like this and if it takes off...then it is a feather in Toyota's cap.

[KansDem]

19. This will give new meaning to the phrase "Mean Machine" (eom)

[mac56]

20. the ultimate anthropomorphism

nm

[JohnOneillsMemory]

21. Great idea. Humanizes an otherwise anonymous and tense experience.

Just two days ago I gave a gentle horn toot to an old lady who I thought needed to pull through to the second gas pump so I could pull up also.

She met me at the cashier and excoriated me for being rude. I assured her I meant nothing hostile and we chatted about how every car horn makes you think you are being cursed at.

I suggested that we needed something friendlier like a bicycle bell to communicate with from within our boxes on wheels so people could still interact.

The idea is good but this is a bit over the top.

[peterh]

22. When it approaches a car full of hotties….

Does the antenna go up….:silly:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

24. Barf

This is just one more reason to own a bike, either motorcycle or bicycle.

[DrBB]

25. I've always thought there should be 2 different horns

You need one that says, "Excuse me, the light just turned green," as opposed to "Hurry up and go through the light jerkweed!" Though I think they're taking this a little too far.