Toyota's new LQ concept car wants to bond emotionally with its driver

Toyota has unveiled the LQ, a concept vehicle that leverages advanced technology to build an emotional bond between car and driver.

The next generation of the Toyota Concept-i - first exhibited at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show - the LQ is equipped with automated driving capabilities and 'Yui', a powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered interactive agent designed to learn from the driver and deliver a personalised mobility experience.

The AI can engage with the driver using interactive voice communications, in-seat functions, in-vehicle illumination, air conditioning, fragrances and other human-machine interactions.

Yui can also select and play music based on the driving environment and provide real-time information on topics of interest to the driver.

The LQ uses the roof and floor mat areas as an intuitive communications platform to share information between the vehicle and passengers. Embedded lighting displays different colours to indicate automated or manual driving mode, and lights up different foot wells to indicate which passenger Yui is addressing.

The LQ can also communicate information such as road surface conditions to people inside and outside of the vehicle using the Digital Micromirror Device installed in its head lights. The system can activate one million tiny embedded mirrors to project complex figures on the road ahead.

The LQ will be on public display at the Future Expo, a special exhibition of the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show from 24 October to 4 November 2019.