Toyota has opened the doors to the first phase of Woven City, a “living laboratory” near Mount Fuji to test technologies ranging from autonomous driving to artificial intelligence. First teased five years ago, the built-from-scratch town so far encompasses 500,000 square feet and showcases futuristic conveniences like automated robots that deliver groceries and park cars. By the project’s second phase, the town is expected to accommodate 2,000 residents and have quadrupled its land area.
Woven City is part of Toyota’s effort to regain its competitive edge: The legacy automaker has long excelled in manufacturing, but the industry’s pivot to electric vehicles and intelligent software leaves it playing catch-up to companies like Tesla and BYD. So far, it’s unclear whether the city will help them meet that goal, write Nicholas Takahashi and Tsuyoshi Inajima report. Today in Technology: Toyota Opens Woven City as Doubts Swirl Over Cost, Purpose