At CES 2025, held in Las Vegas, Toyota provided significant developments regarding its Woven City initiative, a transformative project aimed at redefining its role as a mobility company beyond traditional automotive manufacturing. Originally unveiled at CES 2020, Woven City is designed to serve as a living laboratory where innovative products, services, and ideas for mobility will be tested.
Located in Shizuoka, Japan, the project has reached a pivotal stage with the completion of initial buildings and the renovation of a former manufacturing plant, which will function as a hub for production associated with the initiative. The first phase of Woven City is set to officially launch in the fall of 2025. This phase aims to house approximately 360 residents, with plans to expand to over 2,000 residents in subsequent phases.
Woven City will function as an incubator for collaborative efforts, incorporating the contributions of both Toyota and its affiliates, as well as external companies, startups, and individual entrepreneurs. The objective is to create a unique environment equipped with the necessary tools and resources to address societal challenges. As articulated by Toyota, it "offers a unique environment equipped with the tools and services needed to tackle societal challenges and create future-focused value."
The scope of innovations anticipated within Woven City reaches far beyond traditional vehicles. Products and services developed there may include applications for automated e-pallets, assisted living solutions, and automated robots tailored to assist with everyday tasks, such as cooking or laundry. While Toyota has not publicly disclosed the financial investment associated with Woven City, it did reconstitute its Woven by Toyota (WbyT) as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2023.
In order to facilitate the development of these concepts, Toyota has invited several initial collaborators, including well-known corporations such as Daikin Industries, Rinnai Corporation, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation. Other partners include food and beverage companies such as DyDo Drinco and Nissin Food Products, highlighting a broad spectrum of sectors involved in the project.
Reflecting on its heritage, Toyota has acknowledged that its origins trace back to both automotive and textile manufacturing—indeed, the company began as Toyoda Loom Works in 1933—hence the name “Woven City,” which nods to this history.
While the project showcases a variety of mobility innovations, it is worth noting that Toyota has not abandoned its hydrogen ambitions. A new “hydrogen headquarters” is set to open in the U.S. in 2024, aimed at furthering fuel-cell product development. However, the focus on hydrogen appears to be more nuanced compared to the stronger emphasis placed by several competitors, prompting speculation about the comprehensive energy and environmental strategies that will ultimately underpin Woven City's initiatives.
The Woven City project is positioned to gather insights into how vehicles can better integrate within contemporary urban frameworks, particularly in relation to denser living conditions and evolving commuting patterns. The forthcoming developments and innovations from Woven City may ultimately redefine how vehicles are conceptualised, engineered, and experienced, although the specifics regarding alterations to vehicle interfaces and design remain to be seen as work progresses.
Source: Noah Wire Services