Patents Shed Light On New Toyota Tech

Usually when we think about future cars, we think about concept cars. However, not every idea appears fully-formed; many times, something is patented only to appear years — or even decades — later. Recent patent filings from the Toyota Motor Corporation hint at new features we may one day see in new Toyota cars at Keyes Toyota.

 The first patent we spied made us double-check that it wasn’t April Fool’s Day. There’s a patent out for a chute and platform setup that runs between the seats of your Toyota vehicle, meant to catch objects you’ve dropped. That means fewer stray coins, keys, and fossilized chicken nuggets.

Something else we find interesting is what the press has taken to calling a “cloaking device.” It won’t hide your car like a Klingon Bird of Prey, but it’s designed to hide the pillars on your car. Using a clever system of mirrors and opaque areas, it bends the light around the pillar so you can effectively see through it, improving visibility and cutting down on the problem of blind spots.

Finally, there’s a design for a semi-automated manual transmission. It shifts like a manual gearbox, but it also prevents over or under-shifting with a system of locking pins. It’s also designed to put the car into neutral if you’re coasting, which could extend fuel economy. Furthermore, it could come in handy if you’re just learning (or trying to remember) how to drive a stick.

It’s hard to predict if or when these features will show up in a future version of the Toyota Camry or Toyota C-HR. If nothing else, they’re evidence that the Toyota Motor Corporation is always looking for solutions to problems — even the mundane ones. To see the results of their many years’ worth of innovation, visit your Van Nuys Toyota dealership at 5855 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys, CA. Keyes Toyota looks forward to serving you!