Meet Kirobo Mini, Toyota's Robot That Encourages Safe Driving

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp wants consumers to connect with mini talking robots. The talking robot called Kirobi Mini, whose name comes from "hope," is just as smart as a 5-year-old. The 4-inch-tall Kirobo Mini is small enough to be carried around. When people place the Kirobo Mini in their cars, it encourages safe driving by saying phrases like "Oops!" when the driver steps on the brakes suddenly, and "Don't leave me behind", when left in the vehicle. The Kirobi Mini comes equipped with Bluetooth, camera and microphone, and can connect to a smartphone, but needs to be installed with a software application.