BusinessWeek Logo
Toyota i-Real

One way to speed up your big city commute? The automaker unveils its latest personal mobility concept at the Tokyo Motor Show

Toyota i-Real

By Stuart Schwartzapfel

This year's Tokyo Motor Show, running Oct. 26 to Nov. 11, is full of wacky concepts from the Big Three Japanese manufacturers. Among them, the i-Real personal mobility concept from Toyota, which follows other personal mobility concepts from the carmaker, including the PM (2003), i-unit (2005), and i-swing (2006). Toyota says it hopes for commercialization in the "near future."

The i-Real looks like a cross between E.T. and a child seat. But while this personal mobility concept takes a page from Segway's playbook, the i-Real has three wheels: two in the front, one in the back. In low-speed mode, its wheelbase will shorten to allow for easy maneuverability among pedestrians without taking up a lot of space. In high-speed mode the wheelbase extends to provide a lower center of gravity and improved performance.

Toyota says that i-Real employs passive safety equipment such as proximity sensors to detect when a collision is imminent: These warn the driver by emitting a noise and vibrating. Simultaneously, the concept alerts passersby of its presence through the emission of light and sound. But, however slow (no technical specs are available yet), it seems dangerous and unrealistic to have one of these devices weaving in and out of rush-hour foot traffic in a busy city. And throwing one of these on a city street seems like certain death.

The Verdict: The ultra-advanced, futuristic answer to the question nobody asked.

Click here for more BusinessWeek.com Auto Design stories