Toyota to open Woven City this year with 100 residents

Toyota’s Woven City, a project designed as a living laboratory for artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, is set to open its doors this year at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan.

The company plans to begin moving in the first 100 residents, who will mainly consist of Toyota employees and their families.

According to Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, the initial population will grow to about 2,000 people as the city evolves.

“This year, residents will begin to move in as we slowly bring Woven City to life,” Toyoda said at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.

He added that the aim of the city is to accelerate the testing and development of new technologies.

The idea behind Woven City was first introduced five years ago, and the city will showcase a wide range of futuristic technologies, including self-driving cars, smart homes, and AI systems.

While Toyoda acknowledged that the project may not be immediately profitable, he emphasised its importance for the future.

“Will this Woven City make Toyota any money? Well, maybe not. As global citizens, I believe Toyota has a responsibility to invest in our collective future,” Toyoda remarked.

However, Woven City’s CEO Hajime Kumabe expressed a different perspective, aiming for the project to eventually become profitable.

He explained that the city’s innovations would integrate into Toyota’s automotive production, which might be difficult to quantify but still beneficial in the long run.