Welcome to Tokyo: A Glimpse into Toyota's Future Mobility Solutions

Hey guys, this is Austin, and welcome to Tokyo. We're here at the Tokyo Motor Show, where one of the most interesting things that's been shown off is the brand new Mirai Concept. The Mirai is Toyota's fully hydrogen-powered vehicle, and I have to say, it looks absolutely incredible. Seriously, just look at this thing – it's production ready, and in fact, it should be going on sale late 2020. For those who may not be familiar with the Mirai, it's a hydrogen-powered vehicle that has been around for a few years now. I actually attended the launch event for it a few years ago.

What sets the Mirai apart from other battery electric vehicles is its reliance on hydrogen, which has some major advantages. Unlike most battery electric vehicles, which need 20-30 minutes to charge, this can be completely refueled in just a couple of minutes – pretty much like a gasoline-powered car. The Mirai also features a 10.2-inch display and a heads-up display that isn't currently on. I've got a little "H2O" button here, which really ejects the water man – it's like the cool version of shooting flames.

Toyota is not just stopping at hydrogen-powered vehicles; they're also working on a wide range of mobility solutions, including battery electric vehicles. The UltraCompact BEV from Toyota is actually one of their largest BEVs, and it's designed to carry two passengers. It's surprisingly cool, although I'm more excited about the iROAD – it's got three wheels and rotates like an entire thing. It feels like you're drifting while driving, and I've gotta say, that's pretty awesome.

The Toyota LQ is another concept car that's making waves here at the Tokyo Motor Show. It's a hybrid between a concept car and a final production vehicle, originally known as the Concept-i. This car is going to be hitting the streets of Tokyo by next summer, and it's loaded with future-looking technology. Not only will it have solid-state batteries, but also OLED screens inside and advanced AR functionality through its heads-up display.

The idea behind the LQ is that it's not just a vehicle you drive – it's also a vehicle that drives you around. It's designed to be capable of Level 4 autonomous driving, which means it can do most of the driving for you, although it still has a steering wheel if you want to take control. But here's the thing: this car is not meant to replace you as the driver; instead, its goal is to enhance your driving experience.

The challenge with autonomous vehicles is why people should care – what's in it for them? If I'm looking at a Supra, I'm excited because it's a passionate thing. But when it comes to an autonomous vehicle, that excitement might be missing. Toyota seems to be trying to focus on creating something that's actually passionate and exciting – something that you want to buy and drive every day.

The automotive industry is undergoing a huge change right now, with autonomous vehicles impending in the next few years and possibly even decades. This shift has people wondering if they'll still care about buying cars in the same way. But Toyota seems to think that's where this industry should be headed – towards mobility solutions that are actually useful, whether you're using them or not.

In fact, a lot of people, including Toyota, seem to be interested in the idea that some of these vehicles might be used as delivery vans or taxis when they're not in use. That shift is huge, and I think it's where this industry needs to focus if it wants to stay relevant. The idea of becoming a mobility company is a big part of that – Toyota can't just make cars forever because things are changing, and they're changing in a big way.

As we move forward into the future of mobility, one thing is clear: the automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation. From hydrogen-powered vehicles to autonomous driving, there's no denying that change is on the horizon. And at the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota is showing us exactly what that might look like – and it's an exciting glimpse into the future of transportation.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin,and welcome to Tokyo.So Toyota were awesome enoughto sponsor a trip out hereto Japan to take a lookat some of the stuffthey have to show at the Tokyo Motor Show.Now one of the more interestingthings that's been shown hereis the brand new Mirai Concept.Now the Mirai is Toyota'sfully hydrogen powered vehicle.I've gotta say it looksabsolutely incredible,I mean seriously just look at this thing.Now while they may call this a concept,as far as I'm concerned,this looks very muchproduction ready, and in fact,it should be going on sale late 2020.Now if you guys are notfamiliar with the Mirai,it is a hydrogen powered vehiclewhich actually has beenaround for a few years.In fact, I actuallywent to the launch eventfor it a few years ago.So unlike an electriccar, this entirely relieson hydrogen which doeshave some major advantages.As opposed to pretty much any sort ofbattery electric vehicle which will need20, 30 minutes, anhour or more to charge,this can be completely refueledin just a couple of minutes.Pretty much like a gassedpowered car, gas powered car.Gas powered car.You've got a 10.2 inch display here,as well as there is a heads up display,which isn't on right now.Look I've got a little H2O button,I'm not sure, what does the H2O button do?- It really ejects the water man.- I'm just imagine thisis like the cool versionof shooting flames.You just like shoot water instead.(laughing)Toyota also has a series of BEV'sor battery electric vehicles.Now the interesting thingabout what's going on right nowespecially in the car industryand specifically with Toyotais that instead of beingjust a pure car company,Toyota's turning into a mobility company.Now what that means isthat they're workingon a wide range ofdifferent mobility solutionseverything from cars, allthe way down to somethingthat you would consider to bebe like maybe not a scooter,but not too far off.Now this is the UltraCompact BEV from Toyota,even though this is theUltra Compact version,it's actually the biggest ofthe BEV's that they have here.This is meant to carry two passengers.It's actually surprisinglycool although somethingthat I'm a little moreexcited to try is the iROAD.Dude it's so cool.All right, I'm in the iROAD.So what's really bizarre about this,it's got three wheels and, whoa,so like the entire thing like rotates?I don't know how to describe it.Okay, so I'm about totake my first corner,thank you, and it feelslike I'm drifting, what?(laughing)Whoa, let's full throttle.Oh dude.(laughing)That's awesome, that is so much cooler.It feels like you'redrifting the whole time.Typically one of the moreinteresting things hereis the Toyota LQ.Now this is actually ahybrid between a concept car,and a final production vehicle.So originally, this wasknown as the Concept-iWe actually took at it a little while ago.However, this is a car whichis actually going to be hittingthe streets of Tokyo by next summer.The idea is that this is sort of a...That was a lot of people in suits.Now this thing is loaded withvery future looking technology.So not only do they intendto put solid state batteries in thiswhich should be a huge leap fromany kind of batterytechnology that we have today.But on top of that,it also does have thingslike OLED screens inside.You have a lot of AR functionalitywith the heads up displayto really kind of give youa very detailed look at the world.The idea here very much isthis is a vehicle which you can drivebut is also a vehiclewhich can drive you aroundand it's sort of that mix whichmakes it very interesting.The LQ should be capable ofLevel 4 autonomous driving,which means that it reallycan do most of the drivingalthough it does of coursestill have a steering wheelif you'd like to do it yourself.Now one of the interestingthings here is thatthis is not really meantto replace you as a driver.Right?There's a lot of features here which willenhance your driving experience.We're very quickly moving into a worldwhere driverless cars, autonomous vehiclesare going to be commonplace.And I think that a real challenge withthe entire auto industry iswhy do you care?Right?I mean, if I'm looking at a Supra.I'm excited, right?Like it's a passionate thing.I can really, I have a bond with it.I care.When it comes to an autonomous vehicle,I think there's a real danger in that,why would you care, right?Who cares what car manufacturer makes it?Who cares what model?You're just gonna get in it,it's gonna take youfrom point A to point B.It's very much utility.I think that's something thatToyota's very much tryingto focus on and make somethingwhich is actually passionate,which is actually exciting,which is actually somethingthat you want to buy andyou want to drive every day.Or you want to drive you.There is a huge change comingto the automotive industry right now.With autonomous vehiclesimpending in the next few years,in the next decade or so,you gotta think that a lotof people aren't gonna beinterested in buying cars theway they have in the past,right?I mean if the car is utility,if the vehicle is somethingwhich can actually be useful,even when you're not using it, right?So a lot of people, Toyota included,seem to be interested in the idea thatsome of these vehicles mightbe used as like, a delivery vanor a taxi or somethingwhen you're not using it.I mean, there's a huge shift comingand I think the ideathat Toyota has shiftedinto becoming a mobilitycompany is a huge part of that,right?You can't just make cars foreverbecause things are changingand they're changing in a big, big way.