London, June 6 (ANI): Bored of being directed by the cold, metallic voice of your GPS system? Well, here is a new option designed by Japanese scientists - a talking teddy bear.  

The robot bear, which stands one foot tall, is placed on the car dashboard and it guides motorists on what roads they should take.

It can also point confused drivers in the right direction with the help of the six joints installed in its arms and neck.

Developed by robotics firm iXs Research Corporation, the bear has an extra feature - it has been programmed to offer up information about local landmarks when its head is rubbed.

However, the bear also has serious safety responsibilities.

Scientists have programmed it to say "You haven't been drinking, have you?" if it detects alcohol on a driver's breath.

Sudden acceleration or braking also results in the bear exclaiming, "Watch out!" a trait likely to infuriate motorists weary of criticisms from back seat drivers.

The robotics firm hopes to have the new technology on the market in Japan next year.

However, further improvements are planned.

"We want to make it more compact, and we'd like to offer a variety of shapes, including other characters and a plain mechanical version," the Telegraph quoted chief executive Fuminori Yamasaki as telling Japan's Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. (ANI)

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