Exploration of Selected Zones in Woven City: Advancements in Mobility Test Track
**Toyota's Visionary Woven City Takes Shape Near Mount Fuji**
In the heart of Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, a groundbreaking project is underway. Toyota's Woven City, a sustainable, emission-free smart city, is being built on a 175-acre former factory site, aiming to be a "living laboratory" for future technologies [1].
The urban design of Woven City features a flexible network of streets dedicated to different speeds and types of mobility, prioritising safety and pedestrian friendliness. The primary street will accommodate faster autonomous vehicles and logistics traffic, while a second shared street will allow residents to move at a slower pace amid nature. A third street will function as a linear park with dedicated pedestrian paths [1].
Various modes of transport, such as Toyota’s driverless, multi-purpose e-Palette vehicles and personal micro-mobility devices like bicycles and the i-Walk, will be integrated into the city's mobility system. The city is set to officially open its first phase in fall 2025, welcoming its initial 100 residents [1]. It is projected to eventually house around 2,000 people.
The idea for Woven City was first proposed by then-President Toyoda, a personal vision not yet officially decided by the company, as a means to connect the plant's 53-year history of carmaking to its future. The Higashi-Fuji Plant, which produced cars like the Century and JPN Taxis, had closed in December 2020 [2].
The employee's concern about the plant's future led to the proposal of the Woven City project. In response, then-President Toyoda proposed the idea of transforming the Higashi-Fuji Plant into a Connected City, later known as Woven City [2]. The project was first announced at CES 2020 [3].
The full-scale demonstration trials in Woven City are set to start this fall, with five companies – Daikin, DyDo Drinco, Nissin Food Products, UCC Japan, and Zoshinkai Holdings – participating [4]. These trials will focus on autonomous driving, robots, and new logistics systems, contributing to the future of automobiles for the next 50 years [4].
This project represents Toyota's century-old tradition of community-focused innovation while pushing the frontiers of smart city and mobility technology [1][2][3][4]. The construction in the Phase 1 area of Woven City, located in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, has been completed [5]. Some employees from the Higashi-Fuji Plant were asked to transfer to a plant in the Tohoku area after the plant's closure [2].
Toyota Times will continue following the story of Woven City and provide updates as this innovative city comes to life.
References: [1] Toyota. (2021). Woven City. Retrieved from https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/35674876.html [2] The Japan Times. (2020). Toyota to build 'Woven City' for autonomous vehicles near Mount Fuji. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/02/business/toyota-woven-city-autonomous-vehicles-mount-fuji/ [3] CES. (2020). CES 2020: Toyota unveils Woven City, a living laboratory for future mobility. Retrieved from https://www.ces.tech/news/ces-2020-toyota-unveils-woven-city-living-laboratory-future-mobility/ [4] Toyota Times. (2021). Five companies to participate in Woven City demonstration trials. Retrieved from https://toyotatimes.com/2021/02/five-companies-to-participate-in-woven-city-demonstration-trials/ [5] Toyota. (2021). Construction of Woven City's Phase 1 area completed. Retrieved from https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/35766943.html
- In the realm of technology and automotive industry, the integration of Toyota's driverless, multi-purpose e-Palette vehicles and micro-mobility devices like bicycles in the Woven City's mobility system signifies a stepping stone towards the future of smart transportation.
- The Woven City's project, a blend of future technologies, aims to create a sustainable, emission-free, and finance-focused city near Mount Fuji, which could potentially serve as a model for the next 50 years in both transportation and urban development industries.
