Building on a relationship with the Japanese taxi industry that began in 1936, Toyota has signed a memorandum of understanding to help develop the next-generation taxi, scheduled to become available in 2017.

Under the MOU, the two parties will look to develop a solution that meets the needs of a broad range of customers including the elderly, families with children, and foreign tourists, with a key focus on vehicle specifications, user convenience and enhanced advanced safety systems.

The agreement includes provision for integrating automated driving technology derived from Toyota’s Mobility Teammate Concept.