Toyota to set up social networking service so drivers can interact with cars

The Salesforce.com guy is a giant.

“I want a relationship with my car in the same way we have a relationship with our friends on social networks,” he said.

Sure mate, whatever you say. Cars for the socially awkward. Just what Japan needs.

If Micro$oft made cars ... !!

But seriously, from the account of the demonstration, this looks like a glorified self-diagnostic system but I notice it doesn't say anything about messages from the owner to the car. With M$ involved, stories of malfunctions will be a lot more credible than the claims of runaway acceleration caused by drivers pressing the wrong pedal.

It can also help Toyota gain massive information not only about their buyers but about how the car is working or not working, he said.

This is the other scary bit. I'm not sure I want a car that 'phones home' regularly.

Flashbacks of Knight Rider. Yeah, it may be cool for some, but is it really necessary?

Who the heck wants to socially interact with their car?

sounds more like spam to me I dont give a crap about someone elses car... facebook is not carbook...

Japanese still don't want to practice communicating with humans. Wasn't this a problem in another article on JT?

Fix the accelarator pedal first! Imagine that!! Straight out of Christine. Here's your tweet!! *Your Prius talking to you. The accelator pedal is stuck. Try slamming on the brakes John. Any last tweets, John?

"can't break!"

No no poeple, this is genius! This is just what Japan needs. Now your Prius can tweet you to remind you not to play pachinko too long since you left your baby in the backseat and it's 30C+ outside...

Not quite sure what this Facebook stuff is all about anyway. Looks like you get about the same results by writing on the wall of a public toilet. But, hey, if people enjoy it... It might be going a little too far to "have a personal relationship" with a machine, but remotely accessing information about your activities may be OK. What about my refrigerator? It could let me know if I'm getting low on my natto supply when I'm at the store.

“The charge will be completed by 2:15 a.m. Is that OK? See you tomorrow.”

What if I said it wasn't okay? Does is say, "alright, 2:05 and that's my final offer, take it or leave it, @$$hole!".

Do you have to de-friend it when you buy a new car? Or if you sell it, will it send you stalker messages, "Your new curtains are nice, I can see them because I'm parked right outside your house"...

I saw a documentary about this once. It's called something like "machaphillia" and was very troubling.

Car tweet to owner: "Hey man, someone just stole me!!! I'm heading eastbound on main street just past highway 1. Call the cops!!"

What was the name of that Stephen King novel where the car has supernatural powers and decides to kill everyone? Christine?

I think it is a great idea. I absolutely love my car and I am always talking to it. It would be so cool if it would actually reply.

Get ready folks. This is just the beginning of voice message and dialogue with machines. And, NO, I don't want the same relationship with my car as with my friends.

Like there wasn't enough of a problem with distracted drivers already.

So...the car might also have complains about the way the driver is driving it? Like "Nakamura kun is always driving me so fast....it's exhausted. I need a new driver."

Seriously, i can understand more electronic equipment, i can understand some giving-orders-though-voice device, something like "Take me to Roppongi Hills now", "Yes, sir" stuff...but come on...interacting with your car? How realistic and rational is something like that? On the other hand, we are talking about a 22nd century thing... If Toyota is so far-ahead....well done!

Your car is going to text the police when you speed to "keep you in check".

I'm typing this on my Toyota keybooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo