At the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), automobile company Toyota and architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) have unveiled the design for a new city in Japan that will become the world’s first urban incubator dedicated to the advancement of mobility once built.
Called Woven City, Toyota’s aim with the incubator is to create a community that is in tune with nature and realize a future enabled by technology.
Intended to operate as a living laboratory, tests related to mobility, autonomy, connectivity and hydrogen-powered infrastructure will be conducted on-site in order to improve upon said technology.
Promising a connected, clean and shared mobility system, the main form of transportation on wheels will be the Toyota e-Palette, an all-electric and autonomous vehicle. Micro-mobility options such as bicycles as scooters will also be available. For a city where safety is prioritized, a network of streets will separate the various forms of transportation from pedestrians.
By utilizing solar, geothermal and hydrogen fuel cells, Toyota hopes to eventually make Woven City carbon-neutral.
“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,” said Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation. “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 … maximizing its potential.”
“We welcome all those inspired to improve the way we live in the future, to take advantage of this unique research ecosystem and join us in our quest to create an ever-better way of life and mobility for all,” added Akio.
“A swarm of different technologies are beginning to radically change how we inhabit and navigate our cities,” said Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG. “Connected, autonomous, emission-free and shared mobility solutions are bound to unleash a world of opportunities for new forms of urban life. With the breadth of technologies and industries that we have been able to access and collaborate with from the Toyota ecosystem of companies, we believe we have a unique opportunity to explore new forms of urbanity with the Woven City that could pave new paths for other cities to explore.”
The site of Woven City is a 175-acre former factory located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture. Construction is set to begin in 2021.
