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Nissan Adds Robot Helper To Its Concept Car

Posted by Zonk on from the i-don't-trust-glados-with-a-stick-shift dept.

narramissic writes "Nissan has mounted a robot passenger in the dashboard of its Pivo2 concept car whose job is to keep the driver happy, give spot-on directions, and even check your e-mail. 'We have data that happy drivers' accident rates are drastically lower than depressed ones, so this robot stays there to make sure the driver is happy always,' said Masato Inoue, chief designer at Nissan's exploratory design group, in an interview at the Motor Show. 'This guides the driver and sometimes cheers up the driver. For example, if the driver is irritated it might say 'Hey, you look somehow angry. Why? Please calm down.'' Other features of this vehicle include a cabin that can turn through 360 degrees so you never have to worry about looking behind when you back up and wheels that can twist 90 degrees, eliminating the need to parallel park." The article includes a video of the car talking to the driver, which is kind of adorable in a 'future is now' sorta way.

4 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Piss you off by speaker+of+the+truth · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm guessing 9 times out of 10 this will make someone angrier then they already were. Although at least they won't be depressed!

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    Using openSUSE instead of Windows since 9th of October, 2007 and liking it.
  2. Japanese by youthoftoday · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This seems to be a feature of Japanese (and Chinese) technology, the idea of enforced 'happiness'. Smiling faces everywhere, bright colours garish colours and features. Perhaps this has only limited cultural relevance in the international market?

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    -1 not first post
  3. Happy drivers are safer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    By the way, did they check happiness before or after accidents? I guess drivers who got home will be happier than those who had an accident..

  4. Been done by Oligonicella · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Did no one learn anything from Clippy?