Any of us who have been driving for a while undoubtedly are more amazed each year with advancements in automotive technology – from innovations that include hybrid powertrains and wireless connectivity, to greener building practices and improved vehicle recyclability. All of these things have been heightened in the Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-In Hybrid Concept that debuted in Detroit earlier this morning. Now, Toyota have no plans to actually build a production version of this exact vehicle in its entirety, but rather use it as a way to present to its commitment to consumers – a commitment to producing engaging, green transportation now, and into the future.
Toyota have drowned the NS4 with technology that includes high-tech automotive glass designed to improve UV protection and cellular reception, advanced lane departure warning and pre-collision systems, rear-end pedestrian collision avoidance, and even a pop-up hood system to reduce pedestrian injury in the event one may be struck with the vehicle at low speed.
The coolest feature inside the NS4 is probably its HMI, or Human-Machine Interface – which includes a multi-touch display that allows occupants to interact with it in a natural way, just like you would use a smartphone. It will interact with the navigation screen (mounted high in the dashboard) allowing you to synchronize information between the two screens in a way that’s very intuitive. The applications of this technology are seemingly endless – perhaps you want to find a contact in your phone through the HMI, and once you’ve located them on the lower screen, you could “flick” that information up to the in-dash screen and maybe the navigation would automatically set their address as a destination – who knows.
One thing’s for sure – Toyota is committed to remaining a technology leader in the automotive industry, which is a good thing. After all, Toyota themselves recognize that the car is becoming the third most connected device, right behind smartphones and tablets. Check out the gallery below for images from Toyota’s official press release on the NS4. For more information regarding the Toyota lineup, or the Prius family of vehicles, read other articles on our blog or head on over to our website, www.altontoyota.com.
CREDIT: Toyota USA Newsroom
IMAGE CREDIT: Toyota USA Newsroom
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