Toyota builds gigantic driving simulator
29 Nov, 2007
39 Comments 
Toyota has been on the receiving end of some criticism lately, from recalls to their inability to produce a well-received sports car, the Japanese manufacturer appears to be suffering from tall poppy syndrome.
So what better way to cheer us up than a gigantic Playsation?
The newly built driving simulator is designed to analyse the behaviour of average drivers as part of a project to develop improved active safety technology. Based at Toyota’s Higashifuji Technical Centre in Japan, it is arguably the world’s most-realistic simulated driving environment.
Toyota says the simulator is used for tests that would prove too dangerous to perform in the real world or would require specific driving conditions (e.g. snow).
The simulator uses an actual car situated on a platform housed inside a 7.1m diameter dome, the inside of which serves as a giant 360-degree video screen.
Perhaps best suited for a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster, the simulator uses a tilt mechanism, vibration apparatus and other devices to manipulate the dome with precision control. The dome itself can be moved around an area the equivalent of four tennis courts.
The company says the simulator not only gives a true sense of driving but also a sense of speed, acceleration and ride comfort through turns and other driving manoeuvres. But it gets better, because there are also a variety of sound effects to top it off.
More nanny controls you say? Perhaps. Toyota has stated its long-term aim is to build cars that never crash!
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November 29th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I Hope this new post about Toyota doesn’t bring back the Paul tosser again.
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November 29th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Hes already been back today……..did you miss him.Shhh you will upset AndrewMs day…….
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November 29th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Who’s back??????? where? when? aaahhhh maybe im best not knowing
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November 29th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Calm down…..deep breaths.in and out in and out!…….
Hes only been back once .
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November 29th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
I can do an imitation of TP every now & then if you like?
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November 29th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Paula peed us all off and he did it to himself all the time.
To me, he attacked caradvice.com.au because he got to his braking point in stress when there were alot of Ford fans and no Toyota fans here. He claimed he made good posts about fords(He says so when I’ve never seen one), but got to his braking point, then he finds a servey on drive’s website them he lets off his rage using only one excuse and by arguing he p33d him self off all the time and wanted to win a fight. Then he does some internet surfing and finds finance info and uses that for another excuse. Then Andrew M responds to him with good answers, then he had nothing to prove so he made personal insults. And bravo! Alborz banned him for only 24 hours, but never came back to attack caradvice. So when he ever uses the internet, he becomes scared and he proberly will never see any major posted pages here so he never knows what people said after he’d gone.
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November 29th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
David,
hhhhhmmmmmmmm
how about a TP audition?
the criteria is specific.
1. You must convince only yourself you are right
2. You must repeat yourself over and over and over
3. you must want nothing more than a reputation from 20yrs ago on quality, that doesnt exist now, before you buy a car
4. You must lie several time and then try to call others the liers
5. You will then become an expert in everyone elses personal income and profession(NM will need that one)he he
6. You will resort to inappropriate name calling and fowl language when people dont swallow your shite.
7. you will change the laws of physics so from this day forward FWD is far superior to RWD.
8. this is a tough one….. you must preach that a TRD is far better looking than any FPV or HSV
so how do you think you will go???
oh nearly forgot……
since apparently Toyota is more australian than Ford and Holden your new prayer before dinner is……
Toyota, Toyota, Toyota, Pull, Pull, Pull,
Toyota, Pull
Toyota, Pull
Toyota, Toyota, Toyota, Pull, Pull, Pull,
ok give it a go and we will see if you can handle the Gig
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November 29th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Thought the Corolla & The CamAurion were infact driving simulators.
Sort of like driving a car….but not quite.
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November 29th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
I can’t agree more with you AndrewM! Just like number 7 you said the way he recconds FWD is better than RWD and AWD.
Paul, if that’s so how come supercars like Ferrari and Lambo don’t use FWD as you claim that they are safer to drive at high speed than RWD?
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November 29th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Well Toymotor Paul, you have now proven that you’re now number one wanker in the world and a Newbe nob when it comes to cars so why the fuck did you ever attack this site? You short, fat, ugly, homo!!!
P.S. you’re too scared to coment back and admit you’re an idiot.
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November 29th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
hahahaha…….thats funny AndrewM! Pull! What can I say ,Im a lady!hehehehe
Im still cracking up!
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November 29th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
^^^^
ill let you figure that one out.
oh and in light of point #7 Ducati will now start manufacturing all their bikes in FWD
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November 29th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
hahahaha…………really!!!!!!!!My anti spam word was Triumph !Im not that blonde!
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November 29th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Haha, that was good Trackdaze :-D
Anyway, about the actual story. That is a huge simulator. The dome is 7.1m but looks like a golfball when the see the whole room.
To make it really good, rename it “Gran Turismo 5″ and have GT5 running on it instead of a boring Yaris/Corolla/CamAurion.
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November 29th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Hey BM thanks for the emails. I laughed at the shots of Lowndes’ car with the improvements. And that is my kinda xmas tree.
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November 30th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Hey Watto no problem,lets hope he doesn’t need them!
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:53 am
But will this make Toyota’s anymore exciting?
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November 30th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
“Toyota,Pull” before dinner? I don’t need the exercise.
But here goes.
AndrewM:You are a Ford Fairy & a twat!
To Bavarian:In another thread you stated that Lexus was using German brands as the bench mark.Your bias is obvious.
TOYOTA is driving the R&D with innovations which BMW & MB are too scared to approach,so the opposite is true.
Hybrid technology will leave them in its wake.
FACT.BMW & MB are tentative with alternative technologies.
Lexus has it in production with the LS600H.
ImportJap:Is your driving style so boring it puts yourself to sleep,TOYOTA are the best Australian developed FWD chassis & superior to American derived RWD Holden & Fords.
The sales figures speak for themselves.
HOW IS THIS FOR STARTERS?
Enough for now.
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
David…cut the crap TP as the website does NOT need your stupid comments and swearing; let alone your self centred attitude.
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
What you don’t think they are chasing BMW and MB ?????Thats what started them……..get real!
Sorry you have provided no credibility among us!AndrewM a Ford Fairy????? and a TWAT!!!!!!! Seems like your out classed by all off us!
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Heroooooooooo,NM .nice to have you back! Did you get all my emails!Hows the boat?
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
I agree with first comment by ME….heaven forbid we have that #%^&*&* on this website again as he was a disgusting person to liase on this website.
All those in favour say ‘I’ - well the I’s have it fully! Here Here
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Cool emails!
Boat…so far costing me $24K plus $22K fitout plus around $10K sandblast inside and hull paint and ketch cost me $18K. Have to do that to get to insurance level. Ketch then worth $160K.
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Lowndes & Wincup - gooooooo you good thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
seems like you have quiet a boat!Glad you enjoyed the emails!
You got the Cristmas card I sent you yet?
Dido on Lowndes and Wincup
You be back tomorrow? I have to go…….been summoned!
XXX
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Hey all,take it easy!Don’t take me so seriously.
I read his rants this is the kind of rubbish he sprouted.
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December 1st, 2007 at 7:34 am
very good, how long till you think he is back??
and go whincup…. im even concidering wearing my vodafone shirt to work in support….. then i know ill get sent home!!!
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December 1st, 2007 at 7:54 am
Hopefully never,as I said I used to read what he had to say but I found it a little disturbing one could get so obsessed.
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December 1st, 2007 at 8:08 am
Phew David I thought you had become his evil twin!
Your wearing what to an Audi dealership??????Hahahaha….I wore my M3 shirt to the GT nationals ,got a few frowns as Im sure you will.Hey you may find an Audi loving 88 supporter…….and sell a car ,the first for DEC budget! Hope its better than Novembers for you
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December 1st, 2007 at 8:27 am
yeah i do too…. no i wont wear it i would be sent home!!!
Ill be cheering them on, i have the tv tuned in already!!
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December 1st, 2007 at 8:34 am
I sure hope Whincup qualifies better today than he went in practice yesterday.
Hey someone by mistake on the V8SUPERCAR site yesterday had skaffie in the number 200 car and driving a FORD,that was some mistake!Funny though in a scary way!
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December 1st, 2007 at 8:47 am
i will turn on ford if they put skaife in one of our fine automobiles!!!
Was funny but im sure someone would be chuckling!!
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December 1st, 2007 at 9:08 am
Hey another GT was stolen in WA Monday! First were told it was a XW but now been told XY GT ,value $250,000 from there house!
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December 1st, 2007 at 11:54 am
If it’s worth $250,000, it has to be a HO.
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December 1st, 2007 at 11:58 am
On the V8 Supercar site, it shows pRick Relly…(SORRY I MEAN KELLY!) at the top and Wincup is 3rd, but Tander is not even in the top 5!
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December 1st, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Na just a XY Me…….she would be a real bad HO for $250,00.
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December 1st, 2007 at 12:06 pm
you WRECK KELLY hahahaha ……..Go WHINCUP
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December 2nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
I developed a theory - not shared with any of you - that the infantile dribblings of Going-Ford-Is-The-Going-Thing and Driving-Fords-is-like-XXX were produced by the same person.
But how’s this for a SUPERTHEORY! This guy and Toyota Paul WERE THE SAME PERSON! He had a dual personality and came on here in all three guises TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH HIMSELF!
I had fun with this guy, particularly when he pretended to be one of the 2 Ford guys. He made them appear to be not particularly smart, which was very clever (despite his pathological state), becase he really IS a Toyota fan!
All three disappeared at the same time.
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December 9th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
I’m sorry golfschwein, but I was the ‘Going Ford Is The Going Thing’ but changed my name and I was not the other 2 you mentiond. Yes I was stupid at that time and I moved on from then.
BTW if Toyota Paul comes back, I hope I remember to tell him to visit “toyotasux.com” …Then I’d love to see what that twit thinks.
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