TOTOTA'S SMARTPHONE CAR UNVEILED

Ahead of this week's Tokyo Motor Show, Japanese car manafacturer Toyota unveils the 'Fun-Vii', a futuristic interactive concept car that features a touchscreen door.


The experimental Fun-Vii - which stands for Fun - vehicle, interactive, internet - was being shown to the public for the first time ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show which opens this weekend.


Designed to show off how the strides being made in technology, the concept car works like a personal computer device, recognising and greeting its driver and allowing them to connect on the move, either with a tap of a touch-panel door, or through an in-car interface.

"A car must appeal to our emotions. If it's not fun, it's not a car."


It appears that the car may remain a concept for the time-being. Giving no dates, Toyota said the Fun-Vii was an example of what might be in "20XX".

Reminiscent of science-fiction movies, the car also allows drivers to change the colour and design of the body through the display.


Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota Motor Corporation, said: "We thought it would be fun to put a smartphone on four wheels. This idea led to the birth of Fun-Vii.