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| RiN |
Toyota unveiled the concept car RiN as part of its efforts to make sustainable mobility a reality. The concept car explores the relationship between vehicles and people in the 21st century, and the role of the interface between the two.
The RiN is one of Toyota's dream vehicles which aims to be "a vehicle that actually improves one's health."
It was developed under the concept "a vehicle that supports serene, healthy living." Various technologies were used to the fullest to create an interior that provides an even more stress-free environment than any previous vehicle. The belief is that in the future, not only will the comfort and convenience of vehicles be improved, but vehicles will also address the fundamental issue of spiritual health. The car is generously fitted with systems that enhance one's natural senses, such as the aesthetic sense of how you treat yourself, and consideration for those around you and for nature. This car was designed with the idea that people who live in harmony with society and nature, and live a serene, healthy life will create a sustainable society.
The exterior design is based on the image of the mystical, towering Yakusugi tree, a well-known ancient tree in Japan. The windows are tinted green, making the surroundings seem brighter and clearer. A green tree leaf pattern can be found on the upper part of the windows, enveloping the driver in a breezy atmosphere, like being in a sun-filled forest.
The theme of the interior design is, "a refined space that fosters a healthy spirit." Rather than offer the comfort of conventional vehicles, the RiN promotes a healthier well-being. The seats are designed in the image of new buds peeking out from the earth and offer a healthier way to sit by helping maintain good back posture. The lower half of the door has a small window designed in the image of a 'yukimi' sliding screen, an innovation that allows deeper appreciation of the small wonders of nature, such as flowers blooming alongside the road.
The meter cluster of the "mood-adjusting" steering control is equipped with sensors that measure the driver's heartbeat. It reads the driver's psychological state from heartbeat fluctuations and offers the driver a chance to reflect on his or her feelings by projecting a visualization of that image on the display panel. The sliding door is not an automatic door, but a power-assist door that opens smoothly like a Japanese sliding screen. If, however, it is opened roughly it will become heavy. Repeated use will encourage the user to think about their own actions based on the way the door responds to their touch.
Remote controls can be operated from the center console without adjusting sitting position with a simple touch. The controls have been designed to be intuitive. For example, when you want to pull down the shade over the 'yukimi' sliding screen, simply slide your fingers over the control panel as if you were pulling down blinds. The light extending laterally from the headlights can be switched off in consideration of pedestrians and vehicles coming in the opposite direction.
Through their relationship to the vehicle, drivers are encouraged to reevaluate themselves and, furthermore, to turn their attention to society and nature, producing a healthy rhythm for both mind and body. |
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| (Update: Oct. 17, 2007; Preliminary report from reporters) |
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