Japan deployed the world's first dual-mode vehicle or DMV for public use on Saturday. The DMV's appearance can confuse commuters at first sight, as it looks like a minibus and can also be spotted running on rails like a train.
According to Reuters, the world's first DMV made its debut for the public at large in the Japanese city of Kaiyo. While it may not look extraordinary while running on roads, the steel wheels at interchange stations lift the front rubber tyres off the ground while the rear rubber tyres push the DMV on to the rail track.
It has a passenger carrying capacity of 21 people at a time and can reach a max speed of 60 kmph on tracks while hitting triple digit speeds on road, as per Asa Coast Railway report.
Earlier this year, Twitter saw the final trial pictures of the dual-mode vehicle. "A DMV (Dual Mode Vehicle) is currently undergoing final test runs on a route between Tokushima and Kochi prefectures in Shikoku, Japan. The bus-train will run on rail for part of its route and it is expected to reduce operation costs compared to the diesel train and bus service," the post read.
Trams in India are seen at Kolkata even today, operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC). Japan's recent DMV seems similar to India's tram which too works on tracks cum road, holding a bus-like resemblance.
As the announcement of Japan's DMV broke on internet, netizens took to react. In most opinion, they believed this to not being the world's first such vehicle.
Here's a glimpse of how the internet reacted to the news:
