At first sight, the Pivo looks like another one of those famously wacky, futuristic Tokyo show specials. But it's actually quite clever when you take a closer look.
The Pivo's bubble-shaped cabin can turn a full 360 degrees on its axis, saving its driver the hassle of ever having to engage reverse gear. You pull into a parking space facing forward, and when it's time to leave, you spin the cabin around (the bottom half of the body stays static, of course) and drive out the way you came. Drive-by-wire technology, which does away with any mechanical connections for steering, brakes, and transmission in this case, makes it possible.
The 106-inch-long Pivo (the name comes from the fact that it pivots) also has a cleverly packaged, electric all-wheel-drive chassis and tiny outboard cameras to give state-of-the-art, 360-degree visibility. Its oh-so-cute styling is Nissan's deliberate attempt to attract young, Japanese girls, whom they hope will gush and say the design is kawaii, or cute.