Car show has vroom with a view (of the future)

You may glimpse the future occupant of your parking stall at the 2015 First Hawaiian International Auto Show next month.

Among the choices being displayed by more than 30 domestic and import manufacturers, the show will feature its first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the pre-production Mirai FCV (fuel cell vehicle), by Toyota. In Japanese, Mirai means future, and the design work for the vehicle began some 20 years ago, according to the Toyota website.

"In 2008, our projection was that the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle would be here in March of 2015," said Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association, in a recent interview.

HADA has proposed legislation to try to ensure there will be refueling infrastructure for the new breed of alternative power train vehicles as production begins and market share grows.

In the meantime, customer demand for nontraditional vehicles continues to rise in Hawaii, as evidenced by registrations of electric and hybrid vehicles hitting a record high of 3,659 units in 2014, a recent report showed.

Upgrades in technology for traditional, electric and hybrid vehicles likely will also command great attention at the show.

Inflatable rear seat belts enhance safety for children and adults in rear seats; crash-avoidance sensors are available on even more models this year, as are push-button gear selectors and parking-assist technology.

Americans are increasingly device- and Internet-dependent, so several vehicles have built-in Wi-Fi, inductive technology that allows for charging of devices by just setting them down in a specific zone, and many vehicles offer app-based smartphone integration to check such things as charge level or tire pressure, or to remotely start the engine.

The crowd favorite, a multimillion-dollar exotic vehicle display, will likely ignite lust, with the JN Automotive-provided Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Bentley models kept a safe distance from salivating onlookers.

Local car clubs also will show off their members’ pride and joy throughout the weekend.

Test drives of selected models again will be available during daylight hours, and the first 500 test-drivers will receive a voucher for a free Papa John’s pizza redeemable online.

Free tickets for admission before 6 p.m. March 13 are available at select First Hawaiian Bank branches. After that time, the passes are redeemable for the purchase of up to two $8 tickets. More discount information may be found at the auto show website.

On the Net: www.HiAutoShow.com