Nissan Pivo 2

Fanciful design sketches are all well and good, but Nissan went to the bother of actually creating a real-life, working prototype of its Pivo 2 concept. The bubble-like cockpit seats three occupants, though you'll share space with a curious little cartoon-like robot that is there to offer advice and keep you company on a longer journey...

Not that the Pivo 2 is suited for trips very far away from the city centre. In its natural habitat, its party trick is parking. The cockpit actually rotates a full 360-degrees thanks to brake, steer and accelerate 'by-wire' technology doing away with any mechanical linkages. Just as importantly, the '3D' electric motors built into each wheel allow the wheels to rotate to 90-degrees, which means all you have to do is find a space that is only a few mm longer than the car. Turn the wheels to face the gap, turn the cockpit so that you too are facing the direction of travel and in she goes. Easy as Pi-vo...

Shane O' Donoghue

Thursday August 7