Toyota is building a prototype city called Woven City at the base of Mount Fuji in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The effort occupies about 175 acres (70.8 hectares) on the site of a former Toyota factory, the Higashi-Fuji Plant, which closed in 2020. Toyota unveiled the concept at CES on January 6, 2020, and broke ground on February 23, 2021. The city is designed as a living laboratory where autonomous driving, robotics, smart homes, and artificial intelligence can be tested in a real-world setting, rather than on a closed track or inside a simulation.
The initial population was planned to be around 360 people: Toyota employees, researchers, and their families. That number is expected to grow to more than 2,000 as the development expands. Toyota disclosed plans for a phased move-in starting around late 2024 or 2025. As of October 2024, construction was ongoing and the first residents had not yet arrived.
The Design: Three Street Types and Bjarke Ingels Group
The master plan for Woven City was drawn by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the Danish architecture firm known for ambitious urban work. The layout is organized around three interwoven street types, each dedicated to a different mode of transport. One lane is reserved for faster autonomous shuttles and delivery pods. A second is for pedestrians. The third serves personal mobility devices: bicycles, scooters, and other small electric movers. These three strands are woven into a grid that encourages interaction between modes while keeping them physically separated for safety.
The design reflects Toyota's broader argument that cities should be built around people and their movement, not around cars. The street layout makes it possible to test autonomous navigation in a context that includes foot traffic and personal mobility devices, without the risk of mixing high-speed traffic with pedestrians.
The NTT Partnership and Smart City Infrastructure
On March 24, 2020, Toyota and NTT Corporation disclosed a business and capital alliance that included a joint smart city platform for Woven City. NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications firm, brought expertise in data networks, edge computing, and digital infrastructure. The partnership was built to deliver the digital layer of the city: sensors, connectivity, data processing, and the systems that let autonomous fleets and smart homes talk to each other and to a central platform.
The smart city platform was conceived as a way to manage traffic flow, energy use, and waste collection. Toyota and NTT planned to develop a system that could be commercialized for other municipalities, not just for Woven City. The alliance was revealed before the ground-breaking, signaling that the digital infrastructure was considered as critical as the physical construction from day one.
From TRI-AD to Woven Planet to Woven by Toyota
Toyota's subsidiary for the initiative underwent several name changes. It began as Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD). In January 2021, it was consolidated into a new holding company, Woven Planet Holdings. In 2023, the entity was renamed Woven by Toyota. The shifts trace Toyota's evolving view: from an advanced development arm of the research institute to a standalone operation focused on building the city and its underlying technology platform.
A Mobility Company, Not Just a Carmaker
The undertaking is central to Toyota's broader transformation from an automotive manufacturer to a mobility company. Akio Toyoda, then CEO of Toyota, said at the CES 2020 reveal that the company wanted to build a city where people could test new technologies in a real environment. The effort is not just about constructing a single town. It is meant to serve as a proof of concept for a model of urban development that Toyota could export to other locations, or license to other developers.
What Comes Next: Phased Move-In and Ongoing Construction
As of October 2024, the site remained under construction. Toyota disclosed plans for a phased move-in starting around late 2024 or 2025, but no exact date had been confirmed. The first residents are expected to be Toyota employees and their families, along with researchers from partner organizations. They will live in homes equipped with sensors and smart home systems that collect data on energy use, air quality, and occupancy. The residents will also participate in testing autonomous shuttles and personal mobility devices.
Early Stage, Long Bet
The initiative has not yet yielded any commercial products or technologies that have graduated from the Woven City testing environment. The city is still in its early stages. The outcome, in terms of its impact on Toyota's business or the broader mobility industry, is not yet established. What is clear is that Toyota has committed significant resources to building a physical city, not just a test track, and that the company views the effort as a key part of its long-term strategy to move beyond selling cars and into selling mobility services and urban infrastructure.
Key Facts
- Official Name: Toyota Woven City
- Location: Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, at the base of Mount Fuji
- Site Area: Approximately 175 acres (70.8 hectares)
- Former Use: Higashi-Fuji Plant (closed 2020)
- Announced: CES, January 6, 2020
- Ground-Breaking: February 23, 2021
- Architect: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
- Initial Population: Planned for around 360 people (employees, researchers, families)
- Target Population: Over 2,000
- Phase 1 Move-In: Planned for late 2024 or 2025 (exact date not confirmed as of October 2024)
- Smart City Partner: NTT Corporation (alliance announced March 24, 2020)
- Project Subsidiary: Woven by Toyota (formerly Woven Planet Holdings, formerly TRI-AD)
Three Street Types in Woven City
| Street Type | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Vehicle Lane | Faster autonomous vehicle traffic | Self-driving shuttles, delivery pods |
| Pedestrian Zone | Walking, social interaction | Sidewalks, plazas, park spaces |
| Personal Mobility Lane | Slow-speed personal devices | Bicycles, scooters, electric wheelchairs |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will live in Woven City?
Initially, around 360 Toyota employees, researchers, and their families. The population is expected to grow to over 2,000.
When did construction start?
The ground-breaking ceremony took place on February 23, 2021.
Who designed the city?
The master plan was designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
What is the purpose of Woven City?
It is a living laboratory to test autonomous vehicles, robotics, smart homes, and AI in a real-world urban environment.
What is the role of NTT in the project?
Toyota and NTT announced a business and capital alliance on March 24, 2020, to develop a joint smart city platform for Woven City.
