Back-seat driver now front-seat robot

One of the wildest concept cars being shown off at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show starting Oct. 26th is the Nissan Pivo 2 electric car, and it has a few twists. For starters, its wheels can rotate 90 degrees, allowing the battery-powered vehicle to be driven sideways. The cabin can also rotate a full 360 degrees. Those functions obviate parallel parking and the need for a reverse gear. But the Pivo's best trick? It has a robot navigator that speaks English and Japanese.

Nestled in the dashboard, the Pivo bot is none other than NEC's cute PaPeRo, minus its body. PaPeRo was originally conceived as a childcare robot adept at entertaining tots with songs and games, but it has since diversified into wine tasting, and now a Japanese version of KITT. I shudder to think what's next.

This "Robotic Agent" can sense the driver's mental state by analyzing voice and face image data, according to the automaker. Its voice-activated navigation and information system is also designed to soothe stressed drivers through small talk. But for those who like to pound the dashboard in moments of road rage, this "starry-eyed robot-monkey head," as Motortrend described it, might make a convenient punching bag. Fortunately PaPeRo is made of tough plastic!