The cars of the future

We explore driverless cars, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology.


In this TechKnow episode, Phil Torres visits the Toyota Technical Center in California to take a spin in Toyota's brand new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) and to learn about the future of these alternative fuel vehicle cars.

The fuel you pump into these cars is hydrogen gas. Energy is created in the fuel cell through a reaction with hydrogen in the tanks with oxygen from the air - with the end result being electricity and water. In fact, water is its only emission.

California's tough emission standards precipitated the development of the hydrogen car and Toyota is the first company to roll out a consumer version. They have been working on the technology for over 20 years and their model has been tested in different extreme conditions.

Other major manufacturers, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, and Mercedes, are gearing up for their own models.