Akio reappears at CES; mark your calendars for January 7th!
In a significant announcement, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda has revealed plans for Woven City, a city-sized test course designed to advance new technologies in mobility, autonomy, connectivity, and sustainable infrastructure. The project, first unveiled at CES in 2020, is set to be built on a 175-acre site near Mount Fuji, Japan, following Toyota's participation at CES 2020.
The video teaser for Woven City, released on Toyota's official YouTube channel on December 17, 2024, showcases significant progress, with Akio Toyoda standing against the backdrop of Mount Fuji. The city will be constructed on the former site of Toyota Motor East Japan's Higashi-Fuji Plant in Susono City, Shizuoka.
Woven City is envisioned to integrate technology with nature and community, aiming to create a harmonious living environment where history, nature, and cutting-edge tech coexist. Initially, it will be home to about 100 residents (mostly Toyota staff and families) by its opening in fall 2025, growing eventually to 2,000 residents, including senior citizens and families.
The city's design includes a flexible network of streets separated by mobility speed and type for safety and ease. A primary street optimized for faster autonomous vehicles with logistical traffic routed underneath, a shared street for slower speeds allowing residents to move leisurely amid natural surroundings, and a linear park street dedicated to pedestrians.
Various modes of mobility will be tested, including the Toyota e-Palette, a driverless, clean, multipurpose vehicle for shared transport, deliveries, and mobile services, as well as micro-mobility options like bicycles, scooters, and Toyota’s i-Walk, a personal mobility device.
Woven City acts as a "test course for mobility" where Toyota will trial not only vehicles but also infrastructure powered by hydrogen and advanced digital operating systems managing the city’s functions. The project tests future technologies including autonomous driving, smart city connectivity, and eco-friendly energy use.
Akio Toyoda is scheduled to speak at the CES 2025 press conference to be held on January 7 (JST), where he is expected to share more information about Woven City. Updates about Woven City can be found at Toyota Woven City on Facebook (formerly Twitter).
Chairman Akio Toyoda describes this project as a meaningful step to make the world better through mobility for all, reflecting Toyota’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable transportation and living solutions. With Woven City, Toyota aims to bring new equality among vehicles, alternate movement forms, people, and nature.
In the Woven City, integrated with technology, nature, and community, Toyota will test various modes of transportation such as the Toyota e-Palette, aiming to harmoniously coexist with history and senior citizens. The city's design will feature differentiated street networks, accommodating both faster autonomous vehicles and slower options for leisurely movement amid natural surroundings.
At CES 2025, Akio Toyoda is set to reveal further details about Woven City, showcasing how Toyota's financing and automotive initiatives in finance, technology, and transportation will contribute to a sustainable, autonomous, and connected living environment, with a focus on inclusive mobility solutions.
