CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore

DNP CEATEC 2012 wrapup concept cars, eyetracking tech and motion sensors galore

CEATEC, Japan's largest annual electronics show, is winding down here on the outskirts of Tokyo. We've spent the past two days scouring the halls of the Makuhari Messe, digging up no shortage of concept cars, eye-tracking technologies and even the odd Windows 8 device. The star of the show may have been Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, with its gaze-controlled prototypes and real-time translation app, but there were plenty of other gadgets on hand to peak our interest -- even if many of them won't make it to market anytime soon. Have a look for yourself by browsing our complete CEATEC 2012 coverage past the break.

Continue reading CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore

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CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video)

Nissan NSC2015 selfdriving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity testride with video

NCC-1701 is the machine that took the world's imaginations to strange new worlds in the '60s. If Nissan has its way, NSC-2015 will be the machine that keeps us out of strange new parking lots. It's a concept car from Nissan, part of the CEATEC 2012 Smart Mobility Zero exhibit that has half the show floor covered by crazy electric-powered cars of all shapes and sizes. Nissan's Leaf is one of the more conventional looking ones, but the technology that lets it drive itself down the road is far from standard. We just took it for a spin, so please cruise down past the break to read how it went.

Continue reading Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video)

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Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota’s Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition video

Toyota is showing off its new Smart Insect prototype at the company's CEATEC booth. The fully electric car charges via a standard 100-volt AC outlet, and it's decked out with gull-wing doors and motion detection courtesy of Microsoft's Kinect. The on-board motion sensors allow the car to recognize its owner based on face and body shape, and it predicts the owner's behavior by analyzing movement and determining when to open the door, for example. (It also allows for the front and rear displays to show a welcome message when the owner approaches the car.) There's also voice recognition for opening the car door and other functions, with a speaker on the hood of the car and dashboard-mounted "dialogue monitors" on the front and back.

The tech carries through to the Insect's interior, which sports a wireless charging pad, a dash-mounted monitor that connects to the driver's handset and a button for dialing up Toyota's virtual agent. As a connected car, the Insect naturally ties in with entertainment and navigation services (in this case, via Toyota's Smart Center). There's also integration with a home energy management system, which allows the owner to adjust air conditioning and lock the front door via a smartphone app. As this is a proof of concept -- and one we couldn't test out, at that -- it's unclear how well these features work, and it's unlikely that we'll ever see the prototype make it to market. Still, it's fun to dream, and you can do that by tuning into our hands-on video just past the break.

Continue reading Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

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Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi cancels A1 and A2 EVs due to pricing concerns

Audi cancels A1 and A2 EVs due to pricing concerns

Audi's A2 and A1 EV concepts have been floating around for a while now, but it looks like neither will make it past the exploratory phase. According to Car Magazine, the auto maker is cancelling production of the two models due to concerns about pricing. The projected cost is apparently just south of $50,000. That's not to say that Audi is giving up on developing EVs entirely, though -- it's still pushing the A3 e-tron pilot program announced earlier this year.

Audi cancels A1 and A2 EVs due to pricing concerns originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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