TOYOTA NS4 ADVANCED HYBRID COMING IN 2015?

The recently-previewed Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-In Hybrid Concept certainly raises a few eyebrows, and answers a few pending questions regarding its maker. It was unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

From a design point of view the NS4 really captures the eye, and whether it pleases it or not is a question for the individual. I like it; the coupe-like body silhouette, those sharp eyes on the front end, the upstanding rear end. It has similarities with the current Prius, but at the same time looks like no other Toyota today. That’s called progress, and one the company really needs right now.

Toyota is currently evaluating if it will bring it to market, but has decided that should a positive answer be agreed to on that question, dealers will have units by 2015. By extension I would assume South African dealers would be looking at a similar time frame for their stock.

Besides the fact that it’s a plug-in hybrid, which means it has a small petrol/ diesel engine running alongside an electric motor that can be recharged either by the engine while it goes or by an electric plug at home, nothing else was said on the powertrain. Oh, also that it’s lighter than current systems, features better fuel economy and a longer distance travelled (range) in battery-only mode. Instead the bulk of the matter lies in technologies employed.

Like everyone else, Toyota believes the future lies in connectivity, in how cars interact with people, the road, and indeed, other cars too. It’s all about mobility. Partnerships have been forged with Microsoft (who incidentally also have one with Fiat Group) and Intel among others, to develop technologies that will best effect this belief.

One thing the car will apparently be able to do is to “learn” the driver’s preferences as well as habits in order to determine the best possible responses in certain situations. Another is the Pre-Collision System or PCS which will anticipate collisions before they occur and be able to do something to either prevent them or minimise the subsequent damage.

The car’s Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is a touch-screen-based system with colourful display that looks and feels like a smart phone. So it’s kinda like interacting with your BlackBerry or iPhone or Android phone while driving, but in a safe and legal way. The three rear view mirrors (inside and out) are replaced by cameras whose image output is displayed in front of the driver. Toyota says the system provides a wider view than the cameras.

Finally for a hot-climate country like Mzansi there’s a high ultraviolet absorbing inner-layer that supposedly removes 99% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, as well as an anti-solar film that reduces the temperature inside the cabin. We could use this feature right about now actually.