NAGOYA - Toyota’s experimental urban prototype Woven City, built in Shizuoka Prefecture as a large-scale test site, has entered its second month since opening in September, with the city’s early operations beginning to take visible shape as on-site demonstrations expand and new technologies are trialed across the community.
The September launch drew significant attention, marking the start of a project Toyota describes as a future-oriented city where the entire urban environment functions as a platform for real-world testing.
During a media visit arranged for broadcasters from Nagoya, staff highlighted how feedback has steadily accumulated over the past two months, including comments left on sticky notes by visitors, some written by children, expressing curiosity and expectations for the new city.
Roads within Woven City are positioned as test courses where multiple forms of mobility share space, and several cameras have been installed at intersections to analyze traffic flow using AI, with the data expected to contribute to optimizing signal operations. Robots that deliver shopping bags are already active in the community, offering residents a glimpse into the project’s mobility-centered design.
A growing number of companies outside the Toyota Group have also begun participating in field trials. Beverage maker DyDo DRINCO has installed a vending machine with no buttons or coin slot, requiring users to scan a QR code with a smartphone and select drinks from an on-screen list. Furukado Yoshihiro of DyDo DRINCO’s vending machine business planning division said the company aims to demonstrate that vending machines can exist in a city without becoming visual noise.
At a UCC coffee shop in the city, researchers are examining how the aroma and flavor of coffee influence concentration and task performance, collecting data to support future product development.
Current residents of Woven City consist of several households of Toyota employees and their families, who live in rental units ranging from studio layouts to around three-bedroom apartments while cooperating in ongoing trials. Although the target timeline has not been disclosed, the first development phase plans to increase the population to roughly 300 residents as the project expands.
Source: Nagoya TV News
