Toyota demos massive driving simulator, aims to nix traffic deaths

Simulators similar to the one recently unveiled to the world by Toyota aren't all that uncommon, but this 4.5-meter high pod is "the first to move laterally and has the longest range of 35-meters front to back and 20-meters from right to left." Reportedly, the automaker plans to use its newest toy to "analyze driving characteristics under various conditions such as drunkenness and drowsiness" and subsequently decide what new safety features should be added to its fleet of motorcars. More specifically, the device enables researchers to "conduct driving tests that would be too dangerous to perform in the real world or that require specific driving conditions," and we're pretty sure the 360-degree concave video screen is quite the draw, too. Unfortunately, we have little faith that you'll ever see a tamed version of this here simulator at your local arcade, but one can hope, we suppose.

[Via Yahoo / Reuters, image courtesy of Tech.co.uk]

[Ivan @ Nov 26th 2007 9:14AM]

Sign me up!

[Sean @ Nov 26th 2007 9:22AM]

That's great! I'd like to volunteer to get paid to drink and drive. I love it!

[Andrew @ Nov 26th 2007 9:23AM]

Drinking and driving: The video game. Too much fun.

[Charlie Calhoun @ Nov 26th 2007 2:20PM]

Get paid to volunteer? How does that work?

[Kizorblade @ Nov 26th 2007 9:41AM]

I call playing on it first!

[jamma @ Nov 26th 2007 10:07AM]

No you don't...

Shotgun!

[NiGhTmArE @ Nov 26th 2007 9:43AM]

Does it play Doom?

[blade417 @ Nov 26th 2007 9:44AM]

...........

please let this comment die...

I'm so sick of seeing it in every article.

[NiGhTmArE @ Nov 26th 2007 9:45AM]

I had to do it once! :D

[Justin @ Nov 26th 2007 9:48AM]

And by doing it once, you, sir, are now part of the problem. :p

[NiGhTmArE @ Nov 26th 2007 9:48AM]

I fail.

[Tony @ Nov 26th 2007 12:25PM]

Utter fail.

[Tim Brown @ Nov 26th 2007 9:47AM]

Any one remember Carmageddon?

[Andrew @ Nov 26th 2007 10:07AM]

Oh hell yeah.

[TheSpawn @ Nov 26th 2007 10:08AM]

BEST
GAME
EVER

[Tim Brown @ Nov 26th 2007 11:04AM]

Now if Toyota can get this rigged up with Carmageddon then I would soooooo be playing the Lottery to get one

[RC @ Nov 26th 2007 10:07AM]

Reminds me of the NASA vertical simulator in terms of scale.

[Xzavier @ Nov 26th 2007 10:40AM]

Looks like some sort of training facility for Halo 3!

[jamma @ Nov 26th 2007 11:11AM]

it reminds me more of a level in Portal

the car is a lie
the car is a lie
the car is a lie

[Technex @ Nov 26th 2007 11:13AM]

24hour job here I come!

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 26th 2007 11:29AM]

I can't wait until this shows up at my local Aladdin's Castle.

What? Arcades are dead? When?

Awww...

[Blackbolt @ Nov 26th 2007 11:41AM]

I for one welcome our drunk driving car simulating Toyota overlords.

[KC @ Nov 26th 2007 1:59PM]

Bleh. They should add "phone while driving" to the simulation too. More of those idiots than the drunk ones on the street.