Egg-shaped car developed

TOKYO -- For drivers who find backing out of tight parking spots a hassle, Nissan has an answer: An egg-shaped car whose body pivots 360 degrees so that its rear end becomes the front.

The Pivo, shown Friday at a Tokyo Nissan showroom, is still an experimental model and probably will not go on sale publicly for several years.

"This is a cute car for people who have problems parking," said Nissan Motor Co. chief designer Masato Inoue.

Pivo is a three-seater electric car that looks like a big egg on wheels and whose body revolves in a complete circle while its wheels stay put.

Such moves are possible because Pivo's steering, wheels and other parts are controlled electronically by wireless, or electronic signals, not mechanical links between the cabin and the vehicle's chassis.

Pivo also allows the driver to see blind spots via cameras attached to the outside of the car.