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It wouldn't be the Tokyo Motor Show without one of these extremely Japanese forays into the bizarre, right? All the ingredients are there: single-person trans-pods with pastel interiors, all-caps acronyms, and a geometric, omnidirectional "mothership" to haul them around. This sustainable mobility concept is called PIXY + SSC. PIXY is Suzuki's low-speed, three-wheeled, single-passenger runabout. Two PIXYs can be driven into an SSC (Suzuki Sharing Coach), a hexagonal vehicle that resembles the downtown Miami Metromover or any number of intra-airport people mover systems. Once loaded with two PIXYs, the SSC acts as a car, transporting the pair to another location together. It looks like the lead PIXY operator becomes the driver of the SSC, whose side trim and corner markers are then illuminated in red to denote which end of the symmetrical vehicle is the rear.
UPDATE: English-language press release added
[Source: Suzuki]
PRESS RELEASE:
Exhibition summary of 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007
Suzuki Sustainable Mobility (PIXY + SSC)
Suzuki will unveil a new people-focused vehicle concept at Tokyo called Sustainable Mobility.
It consists of a single seater low-speed transport pod called PIXY and a minicar-based mobility unit called the Suzuki Sharing Coach (SSC) which forms an automobile when paired with the PIXY.
PIXY and SSC together deliver personal, shared urban transportation in line with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Next Generation Vehicle and Fuel Initiative, aimed at realizing the world's most people-centred motorized society.
PIXY is a one person transport device based on the concept of 'friendly' mobility. Moving at low speeds on footpaths and inside buildings, it's enjoyably easy to operate, even for people unable to drive conventional cars.
The SSC is a minicar-based mobility unit, which can hold a maximum two PIXY units.
PIXY is not the only unit SSC can be coupled with. It can also be paired with a sports car unit called the SSF and with a marine unit called the SSJ, resulting in a new kind of personal mobility and sharing system.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
graviton @ Sep 29th 2007 8:07AM
If I had been drinking Coke while reading this, the "omnidirectional "mothership"" statement would have caused it to fly out my nose.
importjap @ Sep 29th 2007 8:42AM
Suzuki designers clearly like I, Robot too much. Or the Matrix.
Not a fan of pod/egg vehicles sliding into each other
tankd0g @ Sep 29th 2007 9:43AM
The Japanese hope to evolve into a Grey Alien type of creature in the near future? All that pesky walking around is using much needed brain blood.
Nellydesign @ Oct 4th 2007 11:25AM
Yes, heaven forbid we get out of our cars and walk around, you know, INTERACTING with people. Now apparently we can take SMALLER cars into buildings and crap. How novel! Does it run on baby farts and love?
MGBYG @ Sep 29th 2007 10:35AM
Too much Tron...
Does it come with security bars and bullet-proof lexan for the inner-cities?
DJ @ Sep 29th 2007 10:41AM
This is nothing new! AMT had a model car kit in the late 60's that looked A LOT like this and was the same concept.
http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/amtronicextra.html
http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/amtronic.html
Barney @ Sep 29th 2007 11:27AM
This concept would be ideal for the handicapped.
ryan @ Sep 29th 2007 1:24PM
I'd like for my Grandma to have one after her knee replacement surgery, God bless her. These things are pretty awesome!
M @ Sep 29th 2007 6:09PM
1. wow, that press release belongs on www.engrish.com
2. Who thought it would be a great idea to leave an unusable empty shell in a much needed parking spot in a city like tokyo while two smaller vehicles get out of it... ultimately aslo needing their own parking spots? that is of course unless they don't expect you to get out of the little pod-mobiles. This concept has been done in countless design student projects, and they never make sense!
3. Two people fit in a car that would otherwise easily seat four?
jeff @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:08AM
Meet George Jetson... (reminds me of the little individual pods that the Jetsons get into at the start of the show.)
Toby Tortoise @ Oct 12th 2007 6:46AM
Ah - but the two-pod vehicle then merges with a another two-pod in a larger carrier, which joins with yet larger vehicles and so on until Tokyo quakes under the wrath of PIXYZILLA!