Tokyo Motor Show 2017: Small and beautiful is no longer mainstream

The Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept car uses hydrogen as the driving energy, and it can get sufficient driving distance within 3 minutes of hydrogen charging.

On October 25, once every two years, the Tokyo Motor Show officially kicked off. This year's theme is "BEYOND THE MOTOR (Starting from here, inciting the world)". Japanese car manufacturers have changed their past traditions and traditions to fully demonstrate their latest progress in new energy, artificial intelligence, vehicle design, and autonomous driving. The slogan "redefining the car". What gives such Japanese car companies so much confidence? Let’s take a look at the report of the correspondent Zhou Weili from the Tokyo Motor Show.

Design: Small-size cars stand in the middle

In the world's top five auto shows, the Tokyo Motor Show has been known for its compact and highly practical compact cars. However, this Tokyo auto show has undergone significant changes: small cars are no longer the protagonists, medium-to-large scale production cars and concept cars are placed at the center of the booth and are highlighted.

The size of the model, which has grown from small to large, is the change in the sales focus of Japanese automakers. That is, from the Japanese domestic market, which likes small cars, to the Chinese and U.S. markets that favor medium and large cars.

The car show, the concept of the show has a long wheelbase, from 2.7 meters to 3.5 meters, whether it is Toyota's fuel cell luxury cars Fine-Comfort Ride, Tj CRUISER, CROWN Concept, Century, Honda's Honda Urban EV This is true for Concept, Mitsubishi e-EVOLUTION Concept, and Mazda’s concept cars.

Market: The 2020 Olympic Games can be seen everywhere

With medium and large cars to please China and the United States market, and in the "how to revive the Japanese market," the Japanese car companies intend to use the Olympic Games. The next Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo in 2020. This is also after 1964, Tokyo once again hosted the Olympic Games. At the 1964 Olympics, Tokyo officially launched the revolutionary way of travel - the Shinkansen. At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, the Japanese government intends to re-engrave the success of 1964 and showcase its future-oriented mobile travel solutions. This time, the heavy responsibility falls on Japanese auto companies. Even if there is no government support, as a global automotive company, Japanese car companies will not miss this "dew in a decade" world stage.

In 2015, Toyota became the automaker of the International Olympic Committee's TOP sponsor program. The agreement continued until 2024, fully covering the Tokyo Motor Show. Although there are still more than two years away from the 2020 Olympic Games, the Japanese government has already taken action. The Olympic Rings can be seen everywhere in Tokyo, including the Tokyo Motor Show.

Judging from the technology concept cars such as integrated new energy, intelligent networking, artificial intelligence and automatic driving displayed at the auto show, for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, the performance of Japanese car companies is worth looking forward to.

New Energy: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Highlighted

At the Tokyo Motor Show, hydrogen fuel is the biggest feature of the Toyota booth. Two of Toyota’s seven world premiere cars are powered by hydrogen fuel, the fuel cell luxury car Fine-Comfort Ride and the fuel cell bus SORA introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Honda agreed with Toyota's idea that hydrogen fuel cells are the ultimate eco-car. Its Clarity new energy model is the world's first vehicle to develop hydrogen fuel cell, plug-in hybrid and pure electric powertrain versions. It represents Honda's most advanced new energy technology at this stage.

As of now, Japan has built 99 hydrogen refueling stations under the leadership of the government. According to the plan, by 2020, the number of hydrogen refueling stations will increase to 160. At the same time, the means of hydrogen production is no longer confined to industrial production, but will also include more environmentally friendly means such as wind power generation and electrolysis of water.

Blacktech: Artificial Intelligence with Learning

At this auto show, artificial intelligence evolved in an evolutionary way, and it was no longer simply to execute the driver's voice instructions.

Take Toyota Concep-i, for example, the AI ​​of the car can comprehensively infer its emotion and excitement according to the driver's expression, movement and tone. In addition to perceiving the surrounding conditions of the car, it is also possible to infer the state of the driver through "deep learning" techniques and monitor the reliability of the driver and the car. For example, when the system considers the reliability of the car to be high and the driver is in danger or nervous and needs help, the system will switch the driving mode to the automatic driving mode.

Honda's globally-introduced Sports EV Concept incorporates the latest artificial intelligence to allow drivers to drive deeper levels of interaction and record and learn the driver’s driving habits. The system uses the five senses of sight, touch, and smell to assist the driver based on the driver's emotions, fatigue, and awake state. For example, when a driver feels tired, he or she is led into a wakeful state; when the driver feels nervous, he is led into a relaxed state.

Electric car: not forgotten, is catching up

More than a month ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other German car companies have issued electrification routes. At the Tokyo Motor Show, the main character was replaced by a Japanese car company. Honda announced the Honda Urban EV Concept for the first time in Japan. The new EV dedicated platform is used to display the EV technology and design direction for future volume production. Nissan also exhibited the new Nissan LEAF NISMO concept car, which combines the environmental performance of electric vehicles and the unique driving experience of the NISMO brand. Another Japanese car maker, Mitsubishi Motors, exhibited the e-EVOLUTION concept car equipped with a pure electric system.

At the auto show, Toyota did not launch a production version of the electric car, nor did it demonstrate the latest generation of battery technology. However, Toyota displayed the CONCEPT-i i-series concept car powered by pure electric vehicles, which proved that it has never stopped the development of electric vehicles.

Other Brands: All Attention in the Chinese Market

At the Tokyo Motor Show, other car companies other than Japanese car companies are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot, and DS. The German car is the most supportive of all.

However, the German car companies are a little "absent minded". The exhibition is mainly based on production models, there is no release strategy, and no concept car appears.

The thriving Japanese auto market and the powerful local auto industry have made it difficult for other auto makers to gain market share in the Japanese market. More importantly, the Chinese auto market adjacent to Japan has annual production and sales of more than 28 million vehicles, and it is still growing at a steady rate. Smart car companies found that instead of taking greater risks to open up the Japanese market, it is better to focus on the Chinese car market with a higher "input-output ratio".