Shrinking car could soon hit the streets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Four Link Systems, Inc's fully electric foldable vehicle 'Earth-1' which was designed by Kunio Okawara, famous in Japan as the artist behind the long-running wildly popular robot anime "Gundam", changes its form in Tokyo, Japan December 27, 2017. Picture taken December 27, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai - RC149EA13170 (Reuters)
A transformers inspired car has been unveiled by a Japanese firm as the first real life shapeshifting robot.
The Optimus Prime bot dubbed ‘Earth-1’ can switch from a regular car to an upright mode at the twitch of a joystick.
Four Link Systems, Inc's fully electric foldable vehicle 'Earth-1' which was designed by Kunio Okawara, famous in Japan as the artist behind the long-running wildly popular robot anime "Gundam", changes its form in Tokyo, Japan December 27, 2017. Picture taken December 27, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai - RC175A81ED60 (Reuters)
Four Link Systems commissioned Kunio Okawara, designer of the "Mobile Suit Gundam" game, to sketch the wild concept with two large fins and brake lights at the back, and a cockpit opening for the driver to get in at the front.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It looks like any other futuristic car, driving with a steering wheel and pedals, until you transform it into Optimus Prime or Bumblebee using the company’s motor system.
Four Link Systems, Inc's fully electric foldable vehicle 'Earth-1' which was designed by Kunio Okawara, famous in Japan as the artist behind the long-running wildly popular robot anime "Gundam", is seen in Tokyo, Japan December 27, 2017. Picture taken December 27, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai - RC156C185F10 (Reuters)
The Earth-1 is priced at 8million yen ($71,000) and is awaiting permission to get it up and running on public roads.