Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has launched smartphone payment services mainly for its rent-a-car and car-sharing businesses.

The smartphone app called Toyota Wallet can be used as a prepaid, credit or debit card, initially for Apple Inc.'s iOS operating system. The app for Google LLC's Android operating system will be developed by next spring, the company said.

The Japanese automaker said it aims to use data from the cashless services to improve its customer services.

The noncash settlement services reflect Toyota's plan to strengthen data-gathering operations for the connected car business designed to offer drivers real-time information about restaurants, hospitals and other data through data collected from connected vehicles.

==Kyodo

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