Question...what did the japanese invent?

Question, Does anyone know a few things that the Japanese had invented for production cars, in which are used to day throughout the world? I'm having a pissy argument with a naive SOB and.....dooohh im sure you know the story. They have to be things that the Japanese invented on their own and haven't built off of someone else's ideas...I tried google, but they came up with stuff on trains and....wierd....didn't specifically find what i was looking for....

CVCC.... it's not used anymore though...

I don't know if there's so much they invented in the automotive world, as what they REinvented -- namely the idea that a car could be economic, technologically advanced (and eventually performance-minded), and run reliably for decades with little more than regular service and upkeep. Using Honda as an example, I believe the Prelude was the world's first production passenger car with 4 wheel steering. Things like CVCC as (2strokebloke mentioned), and later the VTEC engine design were brought to the market by them as well.

I'm sure there were many innovations from other Japanese companies -- Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, or Nissan drivers?

i don't think it's an invention so much as an innovation but nissan was the first company to use variable valve timing and Forced induction together on the nissan xtrail with the SR20vet motor.

chinese invented Enlargement Pills ;)

You have to understand the Japanese take what others make, make it smaller and more efficient, and sell it back to you.


And damn does it work.

chinese invented Enlargement Pills ;)
I'm sure you've researched quite a bit into that area, eh?

I'm sure you've researched quite a bit into that area, eh?
that would explain why he drives the bat mobile. he's compensating for something.:icon16:

You have to understand the Japanese take what others make, make it smaller and more efficient, and sell it back to you.

And damn does it work.

I've heard this before too. The way I've understood it, Japanese companies keep their ear to the ground in America. The Japanese aren't that creative but they can build it and sell it. I mean they can think up new things but they take things said here and proposed and use those ideas into their products.

chinese invented Enlargement Pills ;)

You realise Japan and China are two totally different countries?

You get 0/10 for your attempt at a joke. Clownshoe.

Maybe in car GPS or something? Dunno.

It's important to to remember that the rest of the world got a 100 year jump on the industrial revolution, and that by the time the Japanese began building their first railways, other countries were already experimenting with self propelled road vehicles and even airships.
Whereas most of the world began taking to cars in the 1920s - the Japanese didn't begin driving in any large numbers until the 1960s. By which time most basics of automotive design had been settled - cars had four wheels, and steering wheels and all that jazz - it'd be quite unfair to compare the Japanese to say the French or the Germans who had been experimenting with self propelled road going machines since the 1870s(even earlier if you count steam powered vehicles).
If you want to see where the Japanese have contributed most, look at production, rather than the final product.

i think they invented the vibrator, so really the japanese are a man's enemy.

It's important to to remember that the rest of the world got a 100 year jump on the industrial revolution, and that by the time the Japanese began building their first railways, other countries were already experimenting with self propelled road vehicles and even airships.
Whereas most of the world began taking to cars in the 1920s - the Japanese didn't begin driving in any large numbers until the 1960s. By which time most basics of automotive design had been settled - cars had four wheels, and steering wheels and all that jazz - it'd be quite unfair to compare the Japanese to say the French or the Germans who had been experimenting with self propelled road going machines since the 1870s(even earlier if you count steam powered vehicles).
If you want to see where the Japanese have contributed most, look at production, rather than the final product.


Well said.

Two words: Quality Control.

Mainly they made improvements on cars, like a 4 cylinder engine putting out more HP then a v8 along with better gas milage. They basically took a really bad american idea, shoved it up our asses, then made a better one lol. And I drive that idea every day...

Considering the millions of patent records in Japan's IPDL (Industrial Property Digital Library), I'd say its a lot. You can't patent something somebody else has already done: http://www.ipdl.ncipi.go.jp/Bunchiku/tjbunchikubsen.ipdl?N0000=317

Even making something that already exists better requires invention.

Anyhow, here's one from the US patents office: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6990405.html?highlight=jp

And another: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6990404.html?highlight=jp

Do your own search. Look for automotive related inventions, with an assignee country of JP.

I've heard this before too. The way I've understood it, Japanese companies keep their ear to the ground in America. The Japanese aren't that creative but they can build it and sell it. I mean they can think up new things but they take things said here and proposed and use those ideas into their products.

You've obviously never worked with somebody from Japan or for a Japanese company.

Attessa ets driving system and rb26detts

Well said.

Two words: Quality Control.
Word to that. Ford hired a guy by the name of Taguchi, i believe, and he came up with their slogan in the eighties Qaulity is Job 1. It worked good for advertising, however, it appears they failed to actually deliver on this.:grinno:

The Japs also invented Kamikazee pilots.

did they invent chopsticks?

Attessa ets driving system and rb26detts

Irrelevant. You can list all the engines they ever designed, but it's pointless because they're not used all over the automotive world.

He means something like fuel injection, hydraulic brakes etc etc (even though AFAIK neither of those are Japanese inventions, but thye're just an example)

the lean management system.

The Japanese completely revolutionised mudane, reliable and characterless transport.


They also gave the tracing paper industry the boom it needed.


Oh and VTAK y0 dat shit iz da best thing to eva happen to kaz full st0p yo.

I don't know exactly what automotive inventions are credited to the Japanese, but the country that invented heated/talking toilet seats has got to have a few automotive patents as well.

the just in time management system like what argos use but there crap at it lol