At the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Toyota pulled the cover off of its newest vehicle concept, Concept-i. Created around the desires to make the driving experience even more immersive and improve the interaction between humans and technology, Concept-i is sure to redefine the industry’s trajectory of development when it comes to driver vehicle relationships.
“At Toyota, we recognize that the important question isn’t whether future vehicles will be equipped with automated or connected technologies,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota. “It is the experience of the people who engage with those vehicles. Thanks to Concept-i and the power of artificial intelligence, we think the future is a vehicle that can engage with people in return.”
Notable features of the Concept-i are its 3-D head up display and its use of light, sound and touch to communicate with the driver rather than a simple control screen. For example, the lights in the foot well change color depending on whether the vehicle is in manual or automated driving mode.
In addition to its ultra-futuristic design, the Concept-i is outfitted with an advanced AI system with a plethora of capabilities. The system controls various vehicle technologies and monitors both driver attention and road conditions. It also has the ability to assist or intervene in driving, or completely take over the process if desired. This will not only improve driving automation and enhance safety, but also widen global mobility.
However the AI system, nicknamed “Yui,” isn’t just an automated assistant; it’s intuitive and kinetic, constantly growing as a real person would. According to Bob Carter, “With Yui and the Concept-I, the car and the driver work together as teammates.” Yui is programmed to interact with the driver in a humanlike way, learning preferences and lifestyle trends and measuring user emotion in order to both better understand its driver and build a meaningful relationship with them.
This development is incredibly exciting, and we cannot wait to see how it impacts new Toyota cars in the future. Be sure to check back to our blog for the latest Toyota news and information!
