A transportation company in Japan is developing a vehicle that operates both as a bus and a streetcar.

As the first step, the company conducted a safety test this week in the western city of Okayama.

The trial run was done at night, when the city's streetcar was not in service. A special dump truck was used that can run on streets as well as railway tracks when inspecting lines.

The test focused on safety considerations and the vehicle's ability to handle tight turns.

Ryobi Group offers transport services in the city.

Ryobi Group's CEO Kojima Mitsunobu says "Our main goal is for the new vehicle to be used for daily commuting. But because it is so fun to ride in a streetcar that turns into a bus, we believe it can also attract tourists."

The company plans to use data collected from the test to identify technical and financial challenges.