Innovation

Photos: Fueling Toyota's future

By // October 10, 2006, 8:08 PM PST // billdetwiler

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  • The I-Foot, a prototype vehicle from Toyota that can carry someone and walk. Remember those camel-like robots at the part of the second Star Wars? Same concept. Toyota has no product plans, but has built these to show off its technical prowess and explore different technical areas.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • The I-Wing, which is sort of like a robotic, driveable chair. So far, the market for personal, portable transportation devices like this has been miniscule. Still, some futurists have postulated that the design of future cities may lead to demand for vehicles like this.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • The I-Unit sits upright like a chair, but the chassis spreads out when it rolls. It can go close to 22 miles an hour.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • An exploded view of how a Prius hybrid works.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • The Fine-X, another prototype from Toyota, runs on a hydrogen fuel cell. The wheels turn independently so you can pivot from one spot.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • This trumpet-playing robot is a big hit with visitors at the Toyota technology showcase. It blasts compressed air into the trumpet and fingers the keys during its two-song set. The showcase is located in Toyota City. The auto giant has 10 plants in the city alone and a total of 12 in the Aichi prefecture, where Toyota City is located. The city is about 2.5 hours from Tokyo by bullet train.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

  • This is the result of a 30 mph head-on crash. But note: The interior cabin of the car remains untouched.

    Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

The I-Foot, a prototype vehicle from Toyota that can carry someone and walk. Remember those camel-like robots at the part of the second Star Wars? Same concept. Toyota has no product plans, but has built these to show off its technical prowess and explore different technical areas.

Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

Related Topics:

Innovation Digital Transformation Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things Smart Cities Hardware

By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...