Toyota PM
At the Tokyo Motor Show this year Toyota showed this uber cool concept car.
This tiny electric vehicle carries the name “PM”, which stands for Personal Mobility, as in one-seater. The articulated chassis, demonstrated in the pictures can shorten the wheelbase and raise the cockpit to an overall height of 73 inches to ease entry and exit, and to afford a view over traffic. At speed, the wheelbase lengthens and the car lowers itself to a height of 47.8 inches. When in the taller mode, the PM can spin in place like an office chair thanks to the wheel’s pivot being mounted above it like a caster.
Entry is achieved by touching one of the PM’s headlights that stick out on the end of stalks, which then glows green to signal the opening of its glass canopy.
As the canopy opens, the PM’s seat slides down, forward and out. When you exit the process is reversed.
The PM can be electronically linked to other PMs, so that the driver of the lead car can lead a train of four PMs to a destination with no input from the occupants of the others. So, instead of one family car, each person would have his or her own PM that could be linked electronically so you can go out together. This is facilitated by the hi-tech visual communication system, which allows you to stay in touch with other PMs in your party in order to share traffic information, and chat.
A wacky feature included is an array of 2500 light-emitting diodes all over the sides of the car that constantly shift color. Car and Driver says of this feature: “We have to wonder how that affects range…”
