Toyota aims to encourage a love of cars and the fun of driving among children and their parents through a travel-oriented display at the upcoming Tokyo Toy Show.
The Toyota Camatte Journey exhibit enables children to drive a three-seat concept car through images of scenery, such as cherry-blossom lined roads, projected onto a surrounding screen.
The latest vehicle – adapted from the Camatte Petta shown at last year’s Toy Show – is powered by electric motors with a top speed limited to 5 km/h.
It has one front seat for the children drivers and two rear seats – one for a family member and one for a staff member to ensure safety. Cushions also line the straight-running course.
The vehicle has stickers from various travel destinations attached to the outer panels and is equipped with a travel bag on the back of the car.
Through this hands-on experience, children can learn the positions of the accelerator and brake pedals. They drive 7 metres into the exhibit and then reverse to the start.
Toyota has exhibited a series of Camatte concepts at the Toy Show each year since 2012 with the aim of inspiring the next-generation of motorists.
The name Camatte, based on the Japanese word for caring, signifies “caring for others†and “caring for carsâ€. Petta is taken from a Japanese onomatopoeic phrase meaning “to stickâ€), reflecting the travel items stuck to the vehicle.
“The main concept behind ‘Camatte’ is to convey the joy and dreams of motor vehicles to the next generation,†a Toyota spokesperson said.
“We hope to expand the base of car fans by exhibiting various types of Camatte vehicles every year and creating an opportunity for parents and children to enjoy being in contact with and talking about cars together.
“We also believe that we will be able to incorporate the feedback received from visitors of the exhibit, as well as the level of interest shown by children, into future vehicle concepts.â€
The Tokyo Toy Show is open to the public on the weekend of June 9-10.
