Home Business With ample funds, Toyota constructs a city to experiment with advanced transportation technologies.

With ample funds, Toyota constructs a city to experiment with advanced transportation technologies.

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With ample funds, Toyota constructs a city to experiment with advanced transportation technologies.
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SUSONO, Japan — In the shadow of Mount Fuji, Japanese automaker Toyota is spearheading the development of Woven City, a unique experiment focusing on integrating robotics, artificial intelligence, and eco-friendly transportation solutions such as autonomous vehicles. This initiative is not intended to be defined as a “smart city,” according to Daisuke Toyoda, the project’s executive and member of Toyota’s founding family. He clarified that the goal is to create a practical testing ground for mobility rather than simply developing real estate.

During a recent tour showcasing the progress of the site, Toyoda highlighted that Woven City is envisioned as a collaborative space where researchers and startups can converge and innovate. The first phase of the construction covers an area of 47,000 square meters (approximately 506,000 square feet), equating to around five baseball fields. Ultimately, the plan is to expand the city to 294,000 square meters (3.1 million square feet).

Woven City is being built on land previously occupied by a closed Toyota factory. It’s a part of a broader phenomenon where several ambitious futuristic city projects have faced challenges and delays. Examples include Alphabet’s planned development in Toronto, the extravagant “Neom” project in Saudi Arabia, as well as initiatives near San Francisco and Masdar City adjacent to Abu Dhabi.

Construction on Woven City kicked off in 2021, featuring a design where all structures are linked through underground pathways. These passages will allow autonomous vehicles to navigate efficiently, handling tasks like waste collection and deliveries. Currently, the city remains uninhabited, with plans to eventually welcome just 100 residents, referred to as “weavers.” These individuals are employees from both Toyota and partner organizations like Nissin, known for its instant noodles, and Daikin, which produces air-conditioners. An autonomous bus has already been observed serving coffee in the square, surrounded by empty residential buildings.

The name of Woven City pays tribute to Toyota’s origin as a manufacturer of automatic looms. Sakichi Toyoda, the founder’s great-great-grandfather, set out to simplify life for his mother, who famously worked with a manual loom. Despite its focus on forward-thinking technology, the city has not focused on electric vehicles, an area where Toyota has faced stiff competition from leaders like Tesla and BYD. Instead, Toyota is championing hydrogen fuel, which they see as the primary energy source for Woven City.

Officials from Toyota have been transparent about their expectations, indicating that they do not foresee financial returns from Woven City for several years. Auto analyst Keisuke Konishi from Quick Corporate Valuation Research Center suggested that Toyota’s long-term objective might be to develop robotic transport solutions that can compete with Google’s Waymo, a bold ambition that requires significant investment and infrastructure. “Toyota has the resources to undertake such extensive projects,” he noted.