Development Progress
Less than four years after announcing plans to build a smart city near Mount Fuji, Japan, Toyota has revealed that it will soon welcome its first residents, Interesting Engineering reported on June 24. Dubbed Woven City, the city will serve as a "living laboratory" to test emerging technologies such as hydrogen energy, self-driving cars, robots, and artificial intelligence (AI). The city is nearing completion, according to Toyota, and is expected to cost $10.13 billion. Residents are slated to move in by the end of the year, allowing researchers to collect data on urban mobility patterns.
Sustainable Living
Woven City residents will live in eco-friendly, wooden smart homes primarily powered by hydrogen and equipped with solar panels. "Building a complete city from the ground up, even on a small scale like this, is a unique opportunity to develop future technologies," explained Toyota President Akio Toyoda.
Futuristic Design
Woven City will be organized into three distinct zones: a pedestrian-only area, a lane for self-driving cars, and a path for "personal mobility" such as bicycles. To bring the project to life, Toyota has partnered with international architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Woven City will cover 175 acres and is being built on the site of Toyota's former Higashi-Fuji plant, which closed four years ago.
Hub for Innovation
Toyota envisions Woven City as a place where inventors and residents share a passion for creating new ideas. The city will feature roads, plazas, offices, homes, and other elements of an actual city. By providing researchers with a real-world environment, Woven City aims to advance technological advancements and services that will redefine the future of transportation.
Summary
Toyota's Woven City is a smart city that will test and implement innovative technologies such as hydrogen energy, self-driving cars, and AI. The city's unique design and sustainable features are intended to create a living laboratory for urban mobility research. With residents expected to move in soon, Woven City is poised to become a hub for innovation and creativity.