Toyota Motor Corp. has announced plans to open a prototype smart city at the foot of Mount Fuji as early as this fall.
The city will feature hydrogen power, autonomous mobility, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda revealed the plans on Jan. 6 at CES in Las Vegas. This marks the auto giant’s return to the annual technology trade show after a five-year hiatus since Toyoda first unveiled the concept of Woven City in 2020.
“By combining Toyota’s strengths with those of industries outside of the automotive sector, we can create new value, products and services that no single company or individual could achieve alone,” Toyoda said.
The first 100 residents of Woven City, located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, will be Toyota employees and their families.
The futuristic community will eventually accommodate around 2,000 people, including those from outside the Toyota group.
Five companies, including air conditioner manufacturer Daikin Industries Ltd. and beverage maker Dydo Drinco Inc., have announced their participation in the project.
Toyota is inviting more businesses, particularly innovative startups, to join the initiative and test their new technologies.
Described as “a Test Course for Mobility,” Woven City is envisioned as an experimental ground for cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.
Planned services include electric buses using Toyota’s e-Palette vehicle, mobile vending and a delivery service that integrates smartphone apps with delivery robots.
Construction on Woven City began in February 2021 on the site of a former Toyota plant that had closed the previous year.
The company plans to eventually develop the city into a massive 700,000-square-meter complex—equivalent in area to 15 Tokyo Dome stadiums.
Woven by Toyota Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the automaker, is managing the project.
Toyota has formed a capital partnership for the project with telecom giant NTT Corp. Other partners include cooking appliance manufacturer Rinnai Corp. and Eneos Corp., which will help provide green hydrogen power to Woven City.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Chihaya Inagaki
Quelle/Source: The Asahi Shimbun, 07.01.2025