Mygreenwheels

The best concept cars are either incredibly gorgeous looking or totally loony and this, seen at the Tokyo motor show, is definitely one of the latter. According to its chief designer the Nissan Pivo 2 is not just a car - "It's an intelligent life form."

I think I'll have what he's been drinking.

OK, this is how it works.

The design bit: it's a 3-seater, electric commuter car with a cabin that rotates 360 degrees so you can wave goodbye to nasty reversing experiences.

The science bit: it features 'by wire' technologies (like you get in aircraft I guess) that substitute electric signals for conventional mechanical linkages and comes equipped with such groovy safety features as an Around View Monitor and Distance Control Assist System. My husband normally delivers the last two uninvited, but that's not to say they're a bad idea.

The loony bit: Nissan believes that this vehicle can evoke feelings of affection and trust through its robotic agent which has a sort of Minnie Mouse face peering over the dashboard, talking and listening to the driver.

Aha! Now I see why it needs to have the husband-like safety features built in. No hetero man in his right mind is going to be seen anywhere near this Fisher Price confection on wheels.

All right, if you read the small print about the technical stuff that's gone into this car it can sound very futuristic and exciting, but do they have to give it such a plain silly colour and all that baby-toy styling? And as for the touchy-feely nonsense ... I'm just not going there.