Tokyo, Sept 03: Toyota Motor Corp. has unveiled a new passenger car it says marks a world's first in using sensors and automated steering to help even the worst drivers ease into parking spots. The redesigned Prius, which was introduced to the Japanese market Monday, uses a monitor screen to scan the parking location and help guide the car into position, Toyota chief engineer Masao Inoue said. "As you can see, the car does all the steering, helping you park," Inoue said at the car's Tokyo debut. "This is a very convenient feature for use in curbside parking or when backing up into the garage." Toyota president Fujio Cho said the company hopes to sell 76,000 new Prius worldwide by the end of 2004, tapping a growing appetite for environmentally friendly cars.
The new Prius is also equipped with a hybrid gasoline-electric engine that allows the driver to switch power on the roll and achieve fuel efficiency levels of up to 35.5 kilometers per litre.
The Prius, first launched in 1997, has sold more than 120,000 units to date, the company said. Bureau Report