Toyota opens its “experimental city” at the foot of Mount Fuji

Toyota Motor has opened Woven City, an “experimental city” in Susono, at the foot of Mount Fuji, where autonomous vehicles, delivery robots, and personal transportation are operating. This initiative, rare for an automaker, aims to test innovative technologies and services in a real urban context. The project is currently in its initial phase: a few families have settled on a 47.000-square-meter site, followed by approximately 300 company employees. The site will eventually expand to 294.000 square meters, housing over 2.000 residents, and will open to the public in 2026.

The site includes roads for autonomous vehicles, traffic lights equipped with sensors and cameras, and an underground network for interference-free testing. Non-automotive partners include Nissin Foods, Daikin, Zoshinkai, and space startup Interstellar Technologies. Introducing the project, Daisuke Toyoda, vice president of Woven by Toyota and son of president Akio Toyoda, stated that he aims to “create a safe mobility society by connecting infrastructure and transportation.” Announced in 2020 at CES in Las Vegas, Woven City reflects Toyota’s transformation from a car manufacturer to a mobility solutions provider. However, concerns about personal data collection and privacy protection remain.