At CES 2025 Toyota announced the completion of Phase 1 of its Woven City, marking significant progress since the company first announced its transformation into a mobility company at CES 2018, and since it revealed the Woven City concept in 2020.
When the plans were first unveiled in 2020, it was termed as both the city of the future and a living laboratory, occupying a 175-acre at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, and powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The intention is for the city to be home to residents and researchers who will test out technologies including autonomy, robotics, personal mobility, smart homes and AI.
“Building a complete city from the ground up, even on a small scale like this, is a unique opportunity to develop future technologies, including a digital operating system for the city’s infrastructure. With people, buildings and vehicles all connected and communicating with each other through data and sensors, we will be able to test connected AI technology… in both the virtual and the physical realms… maximising its potential,” said Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor at the time of the announcement.
Four years on since the groundbreaking ceremony, Toyota reported on its progress at CES, which has included construction of Phase 1 buildings, officially completed in October 2024. Phase 1 is expected to be launched in autumn 2025, where approximately 100 residents – predominantly Toyota and WbyT staff and their families – will participate as the first residents. Phase 1 will accommodate 360 residents and Phase 2 and phases thereafter will accommodate 2,000.
Additionally, renovation of a former Higashi-Fuji Plant facility into a manufacturing hub for Woven City is underway, and site preparation work for Phase 2 has begun. Insights taken from Phase 1 will help refine plans for Phase 2.
Key aspects of the city that lend it its smart element include allocating street usage for three types – faster vehicles, a mix of lower speed, personal mobility and pedestrians, and pedestrians only – buildings made mostly of wood to minimise carbon footprint with photovoltaic panels to generate solar panel, and in-human support technologies like robotics to support residents with their day-to-day life.
Startups, entrepreneurs, universities and research institutions will all be invited to Woven City through an accelerator programme in summer 2025.
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