Toyota Patents Winking, Laughing, Crying Car

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Toyota Patents Winking, Laughing, Crying Car

Posted by simoniker on Monday July 26, 2004 @07:14AM from the international-sign-of-the-finger dept.

theodp writes "If the patent system ain't broke, don't fix it: The NY Times/IHT reports that 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 article goes on to 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."

26 of 484 comments (clear)

What I want to know by IncarnadineConor · 2004-07-26 07:15 · Score: 5, Funny

is what part of the car is going to represent the middle finger
1. Re:What I want to know by tambo · 2004-07-26 07:42 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I suspect the primary claim of this patent reads: "A method of substantially increasing the frequency of auto accidents by adding distraction to the road, comprising..."
  Seriously, what an awful idea. Yes, let's pay attention to the emotions of the cars around us. Because even after the advent of cellphones, food from drive-throughs, stereos, GPS devices, and in-car LCD screens - we're still paying WAY too much attention to our driving situation.
  - David Stein
  
  --
  Computer over. Virus = very yes.
2. Re:What I want to know by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-26 07:50 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Screw that.
  
  I want rocket launchers and flame throwers.
  
  Let's have some real retribution for those who piss me off, none of this namby pamby crying shit.
  
  And don't dare mod this comment as "funny".
3. Re:What I want to know by Rei · 2004-07-26 08:16 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I disagree. At least it'll mean you're paying attention to the vehicles on the road.
  
  Cars are already designed to try to clue you in to what the driver is thinking - for example, brake lights, turn signals, horns, etc. Communication of intent between drivers is critical while on the road. Now, some of this is more what the driver "feels" than what they are planning, but I doubt it would *hurt*. The more attention you pay to what's on the road ahead of you, the better.
  
  --
  SILENCE BLATHERING TOADIES! We are your new masters.
4. Re:What I want to know by Coulson · 2004-07-26 09:30 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  We could also go a long way by expanding the capabilities of the existing communications channels.
  
  For instance, why not have brake lights shine brighter the harder you're braking? That would give people behind you an indication of how hard they need to brake, without waiting to judge your change in velocity.
  
  Or brake lights that shine forward?
  Or acceleration lights that shine green (brighter the faster you accelerate)?
  Or turn signals that tick louder the farther you've traveled with them on (to remind you to turn them off)?
  
  Lots of innovations in car UI just waiting to happen, but it's so fscking standardized that no one's going to make them. I'm glad to see Toyota's at least thinking about what it means to actually drive a car, rather than just trying to build the latest rendition of an old concept.
  
  P.S. I get really incensed by the ads that are running right now -- I forget whose -- where the company claims to have 're-invented the wheel', 'rethought the car from the ground up', and 'come up with something completely revolutionary'. Then they show you a picture and it's... a sedan. Same as every other car on the road. Whoop-de-fucking-do.
I just want to know... by Robotech_Master · 2004-07-26 07:16 · Score: 5, Funny

...would Herbie the Love Bug count as prior art?

--
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
Two Words: by XCorvis · 2004-07-26 07:17 · Score: 5, Funny

Two Words:

Moon Roof
Doesn't this increase the danger? by Gentoo+Fan · 2004-07-26 07:17 · Score: 4, Insightful

If you spend a few extra split seconds looking in the mirror at another car's "expression" then you are spending less time looking ahead of you.
1. Re:Doesn't this increase the danger? by lukewarmfusion · 2004-07-26 07:21 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Only if you take a picture of it with your camera phone.
2. Re:Doesn't this increase the danger? by LincolnQ · 2004-07-26 07:51 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Doesn't this increase the danger?
  
  Well, possibly, but if someone is trying to communicate with you, it may be the best way anyway. Think about it. Would you rather they flash the lights, honk the horn or wave? You will spend more brain cycles trying to parse these messages. Generally, an interface that uses ingrained brain 'hardware' to communicate is usually better than teaching everyone that signal X means Y.
  
  You may remember that we had that article on Facetop last week, where you can use your existing hand-eye coordination 'hardware' to drive the pointer. That sounds like really stellar UI. This is similar in that it would use humanlike social cues to communicate. (Then again... social cues? I must be new here.)
  
  The only problem I'm seeing is that the facial expressions that a car can make are probably nothing like actual social cues, and that they would not be similar enough to trigger expression recognition code in your brain. Who knows.
the new kids craze by CmdrGoatse · 2004-07-26 07:17 · Score: 5, Funny

2 tonne furbies on wheels

--
| ` / | \,X`\ HEIL HITLER | .
How long.... by Rob+Carr · 2004-07-26 07:18 · Score: 5, Funny

...before the first news article "Driver of Glaring Car Shot to Death"?

--
This sig seemed like a good idea at the time....
emotional ricer.... by sickmtbnutcase · 2004-07-26 07:18 · Score: 5, Funny

I wonder what expression a riced-out version will show when mom's minivan beats it in a drag race...
The future is here! by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · 2004-07-26 07:20 · Score: 4, Funny

Wait... No, thats totally (for lack of better word, no offense to anyone) Gay. Very Gay. When are you going to make them fly like you promised in the 50's? Thats the future I want. I want a flying car with laser cannons! And missles that come out of the tail pipe! With a racing stripe!

--
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
Call them automoticons by khendron · 2004-07-26 07:20 · Score: 4, Funny

Sounds like smilies for cars to me ;-)

--
Life is like a web application. Sometime you need cookies just to get by.
1. Re:Call them automoticons by zantispam · 2004-07-26 07:31 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  re: automoticons
  
  Didn't the Autobots beat them up?
  
  --
  
  censorship is a form of noise, which actively seeks to drown out content with silence - Crash Culligan
Prior art disclosure obligations and Benny by Nakito · 2004-07-26 07:20 · Score: 5, Funny

I hope the inventors complied with their duty to submit a copy of "Roger Rabbit" to the patent office. Benny the Cab anticipates every technology described in the article.
Speed Buggy? by mdrechsler · 2004-07-26 07:20 · Score: 5, Informative

Did anyone else think of Speed Buggy or am I the only dope that remembers that show?
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServl et/showid-5028/Speed_Buggy/
Patent critique? by k98sven · 2004-07-26 07:23 · Score: 4, Interesting

The patent system may be broken, but I don't really see how this would be an indication of it.

At least to me, this is not an obvious idea.

Unless of course, you have a Japanese sense of imagination. I'd trust the people who invented Domo-kun , Vending machines for 'used' underwear and heated, self-deodorizing toilets to come up with just about anything.
Most needed expressions... by meganthom · 2004-07-26 07:24 · Score: 4, Insightful

Forget anger and letting people merge in front of you... Here's what I want my car to be able to express:

1) Oops!
2) New to area.
3) I'm completely lost.
4) Medical emergency.
5) Learner

How many times are we angry with people who just happen to be dealing with one of the above and who we would easily forgive if we knew as much?

--
Live free or die
Yeah, whatever.... by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · 2004-07-26 07:33 · Score: 5, Insightful

how about increasing fuel efficiency? (yes, even more.

or making them safer (fundementally instead of bigger and heavier)

or better communication integration for the ever-pressed-to-the-ear cell phones

or better collision avoidance systems

or making headlights that can be "ub3r" that don't blind everyone on the road

Yeah, making sure the car has emotions and becomes more distracting is a stellar idea. Yesh.
Closely related by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · 2004-07-26 07:35 · Score: 4, Insightful

For a while now I've been meaning to build an LED display for the back of my car so I can flash messages like GET OUT FROM UP MY ASS and plain old FUCK YOU! to whoever's tailgating me.

--
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
1. Re:Closely related by superflippy · 2004-07-26 08:29 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Because I'm going 80 in a 70 zone and I'm
  a) too nice of a person to let you go 110 and get a ticket.
  b) driving a car too tall to fit underneath the truck in the lane next to me.
  c) pretending I'm in NASCAR by letting you draft 3 inches from my bumper.
  d) secretly amused by your obvious frustration.
  
  --
  Your fantasies contain the seeds of important concepts.
Well this is Japan... by cryptochrome · 2004-07-26 08:10 · Score: 4, Interesting

...Therefore I wouldn't expect to see the middle finger much, but I would expect to see all the standard manga/anime visual icons.
There's a good list of them here, along with all the appropriate emoticons, although they left out a bunch of other less common stuff (bloody nose for sexual overstimulation, snot bubble for sleeping, escaping spirit for half dead, completely white from shock, puking looks kind of like a waterfall), and certain mouth patterns (aggressive fangs).

In particular, expect to see sweat drops, popping veins, and funny eyes. ^_^;

--
---If you can't trust a nerd, who can you trust?
Don't laugh by YrWrstNtmr · 2004-07-26 08:18 · Score: 4, Funny

I have a issue of Grassroots Motorsports, where they did an autocross competition between a 1965 Porsche 356, a 1967 Jag XKE convertible, and a stock 2003 Honda Odessy minivan.

The minivan, with stock tires, smoked the Jag, and tied the Porsche. With one level better tires, the minivan smoked the 356 as well. Smoked it badly
Tailgaters by pclminion · 2004-07-26 08:24 · Score: 4, Insightful

I usually handle tailgaters by slowing down to about half the speed limit, and continuing to slow down until they either get the point and back off, or get fed up and blow past me.
Seriously, the danger from tailgating is that they might rear-end you (duh). If you slowly reduce your speed this greatly reduces the risk of a high-speed read end collision while simultaneously giving them a great incentive to stop tailgating. They're doing it because they think it'll get them to their destination faster. I simply make it clear to them that they'll NEVER get there if they insist on tailgating me.
In my experience, most people get the hint and back off.