New Tech Unveiled Showcases Toyota's Devotion to "Accessible Transportation for Everyone"
Toyota Introduces One-Touch Fastening Device for Enhanced Wheelchair Mobility
Toyota, a leading player in the automotive industry, is making strides in the realm of mobility for all with its newly developed one-touch fastening device for wheelchairs. This innovation aims to simplify and streamline the secure attachment of wheelchairs inside vehicles, making access and transport faster, easier, and safer for wheelchair users.
The device, part of Toyota's commitment to becoming a mobility company, allows users to secure their wheelchairs with a single action, reducing the physical effort and time required for securement. This enhancement in convenience and safety aligns with Toyota's broader vision of mobility as a universal right.
The one-touch device secures the anchor bar of a wheelchair at the press of a button once it is in position, reducing the time needed for securing from around two minutes to two seconds. This improvement in ease of use and independence for wheelchair users is expected to promote more widespread adoption of accessible mobility solutions.
The JUU electric wheelchair, equipped with this innovative fastening device, was showcased at the 2022 International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition. One of the JUU's most significant features is its ability to negotiate steps up to 16 cm tall (30 cm deep) while seated, without requiring assistance.
Toyota's one-touch fastening device fits within the broader field of mobility vehicles, which emphasizes securement technology that meets high safety standards and integrates with vehicle modifications like ramps, lifts, and automatic controls to facilitate safe and comfortable wheelchair transport.
In addition to the JUU, Toyota is also developing the e-Palette autonomous driving technology in collaboration with Woven by Toyota and Denso. The e-Palette is designed to serve people in various settings, including mountainous and sparsely populated regions, or those who have difficulty traveling for themselves.
Toyota's guiding principle as a mobility company is "mobility for all," a principle that is evident in their ongoing efforts to develop innovative solutions like the one-touch fastening device and the e-Palette. The company plans to begin offering the piloted e-Palette in the first half of the 2020s, while the driverless version is being developed for places like Woven City.
The JUU's spacious interior can be tailored to various mobility services, such as a convenience store, cafe, mobile delivery lockers, or an apparel shop. With its robust drive systems, allowing it to continue running even if one system fails, and its modern design crafted with the joy of mobility in mind, the JUU represents Toyota's commitment to making dreams of accessible, stress-free mobility come true.
The one-touch fastening device, developed by Toyota, extends beyond the automotive industry and engages with the realms of mobility vehicles and technology, aiming to improve the financial accessibility and ease of transportation for wheelchair users. This advancement in fastening technology aligns with Toyota's broader vision of finance, focusing on enhancing user independence while ensuring safety standards in various settings, including those with specific mobility requirements.
