By Tessa R. Salazar
Some of the themes of Toyota’s space in the ongoing Japan Mobility Show 2025 at Tokyo Big Sight remind me of my parents. My mom, whom I helped care for during the final 10 years of her life, was wheelchair-bound after suffering a series of strokes. She was also a cancer survivor for almost two decades. Now, our dad is also wheelchair-bound.
It has become routine for me, every time I drive a new vehicle for review, to check if either of my dad’s two wheelchairs (small and large ones) would fit. And every now and then I visit a childhood friend who has cerebral palsy and on a wheelchair as well, and try if she can easily enter the vehicle and fit her wheelchair in as well. I’d do this even if I were driving a compact car.
I’ve always hoped that our cars would not be limiting, but empowering.
So, imagine the gladness in my heart when Toyota showcased their PWD-enabled personal mobility rides right from the Oct. 29 opening of JMS 2025. I thought of my parents and my friend. Any of these specialized vehicles on exhibit would have been a great birthday gift for my mom (her birthday was on Oct. 28), or a mobility dream come true for my dad and my friend—if only these were already in production and available in the Philippines. Perhaps if these innovations were introduced 5 years sooner…
Actually, Toyota’s inclusive mobility slogan “Mobility for All” was already being touted about as early as JMS 2023, and the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games saw the carmaker capitalizing on the sporting events’ global popularity and influence to bolster its inclusivity advocacy by giving differently abled athletes access to personal micro-mobility equipment. I was with the Toyota Motor Philippines contingent during the Games, and I did witness the Japanese carmaker’s brand of empowered mobility.
So, you can praise or bewail Toyota’s multipathway approach to new-energy vehicles all you want, but you will not find fault in where the global giant’s heart truly lies. It’s in the people who need a hand so they can move even without their feet.
“No one left behind” is Toyota’s overarching philosophy for ensuring “Mobility for All,” emphasizing its commitment to provide diverse transportation solutions and social contributions that don’t exclude any group or region.
Toyota stressed that “Mobility for All” and freedom of movement are fundamental for a diverse, thriving society. JMS 2025 just shows that with every personal mobility equipment developed, there’s one less obstacle for people regardless of their physical abilities.
In the ongoing Japan Mobility Show, Toyota—in real time—is transforming from a carmaker to a mobility company. Here are the latest personal mobility tech a visitor to JMS 2025 can see at Toyota’s display area: (link to video here)
Walk Me
A quadruped mobility that greatly enhances the range of everyday movement. Walk Me can move seamlessly—indoors and outdoors—without worrying about steps or uneven surfaces.
Boost Me
Assists anyone to enjoy sports on equal terms. Hands-free design allows versatility across various sports; sports mobility is controlled by the rider’s core through leaning, rotating, stretching, and bending.
Challenge Me
Partner mobility for uncharted paths; an electric mobile chair that anyone can take on the ultimate adventure; superior all-terrain performance and ability to traverse steps.
Kago-Bo driving experience
Toyota is also showcasing a PWD-friendly future taxi ride experience.
Imagine human-centered robot cars with spacious, ultra-comfortable interiors designed for safe, secure, and relaxing journeys for everyone.
You won’t have to worry about your wheelchair-bound folks for this type of vehicle, which comes with a ramp. Hopefully, when this future taxi does make its way to the Philippines, fares will be affordable.
While we wait for these concepts to become realities, let’s hope the equipment would be able to hurdle one nagging handicap for any new technology: The price. Because, let’s face it, isn’t financial incapacity also a disability?