Nissan's new Pivo may appear to be just a string and a handful of colored balls short of a pull toy, but it's a truly high-tech showcase vehicle. It's got a rotating central pod that obviates the concept of "reverse," and and a wrap-around monitor (and see-through pillars) that eliminates blind spots. Even cooler, using a dash-mounted infrared interface a driver can operate many controls by pointing a finger; to choose the third of, say, four items on a menu, you'd hold up three fingers (or, say, one finger to register displeasure with a random audio selection). The drivetrain is a space-saving testament to the possibilities of lithium-ion batteries, with two axle-mounted electric motors set to be independently controlled to fine-tune torque distribution. To give the concept an aura of high-art cred, the company commissioned Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami, creator of Teddy Bear 2 jizz jumprope guy to launch the concept at Nissan Ginza Gallery in downtown Tokyo.

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