Toyota develops device to recreate circuit experiences on video game

NAGOYA, Sept. 4 -- (Kyodo) _ Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a device to enable owners of its "86" sports car to record their actual driving at a circuit and recreate it as a video game image.

Toyota and development partner Denso Corp. demonstrated the device called the CAN-Gateway ECU at a press preview at the Fuji Speedway circuit in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture, the same day.

Toyota said it wants to offer the car's buyers a new way of enjoying themselves by combining the device through which they can recreate their circuit experience with Polyphony Digital Inc.'s video game software, similar to the company's "Gran Turismo 5," developed for the PlayStation video console of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Toyota said it plans to start selling the device late next year at "several tens of thousands of yen."

The device records driving conditions such as speeds, steering wheel movement, accelerator pedal strokes and operations of the gear shift lever. Users can also transfer the recorded data to smartphones, Toyota said.

The device also allows users to improve their driving skills by visually comparing the recordings of their driving performance and those of professional racing drivers recorded on the game software.