Toyota plans to build model of ‘city of the future’ in Japan

Toyota Motor Corporation said that it planned to build a prototype ‘city of the future’ at the base of Japan’s Mt. Fuji, powered by hydrogen fuel cells and functioning as a laboratory for autonomous cars, “smart homes,” artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda and Danish architect Bjarke Ingel revealed plans to build a prototype ‘cityof the future’ on a 175-acre site at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan during the Toyota press conference at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on January 6.  

Envisioned as a ‘living laboratory’, the hydrogen cell-powered Woven City will serve as a home to full-time residents and researchers who will be able to test and develop technologies such as autonomy, robotics, personal mobility, smart homes and artificial intelligence in a real-world environment. CES is one of the largest technology expos on the earth, showcasing more than 4,500 exhibiting companies representing the entire consumer technology sector.

Toyota unveiled the audacious plan for what it will call ‘Woven City’, in a reference to its origins as a loom manufacturer, at the big annual technology industry show, CES.

“It’s hard to learn something about a smart city if you are only building a smart block,” James Kuffner, chief executive officer for the Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, told Reuters.

The “Woven City” idea, under discussion for a year, is aimed at creating safer, cleaner, more fun cities and learning lessons that could be applied around the world, he added.

It will have police, fire and ambulance services, schools and could be home to a mix of Toyota employees, retirees and others, Kuffner said.

The development, to be built on the site of a car factory that is planned to be closed by the end of 2020, will begin with 2,000 residents in coming years, and also serve as a home to researchers.

Toyota did not disclose costs for the project, whose construction is scheduled to start next year, and which seeks to re-imagine a city, but executives said it had been extensively vetted and had a budget.

The plan for a futuristic community on 175 acres (71 hectares) is a big step beyond proposals from Toyota’s rivals. Executives at many major automakers have talked about how cities of the future could be designed to cut climate-changing emissions, reduce congestion and apply internet technology to everyday life.

The company’s proposal showcases not only the ambition of Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, but also the financial and political resources Toyota can bring to bear, especially in its home country.

“You know if you build it, they will come,” said Toyoda, who called the project “my personal ‘field of dreams.’”

Toyota Housing, a company unit, has sold more than 100,000 homes in Japan in 37 years.

Toyota said it had commissioned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to design the community. Ingels’ firm designed the 2 World Trade Center building in New York and technology giant Google’s offices in Silicon Valley and London.

Toyota said it is open to partnerships with other companies seeking to use the project as a testing ground for technology.

Still Toyoda acknowledged not all may see the wisdom of what could be an expensive and lengthy project.

“You may be thinking, ‘Has this guy lost his mind?’” Toyoda asked an audience in Las Vegas, to laughter. “’Is he like a Japanese version of Willy Wonka?’ Perhaps.”

Meanwhile, Japanese shares rebounded on Tuesday, with tech and domestic demand-oriented sectors leading the gains, as investors were relieved at the absence of fresh sabre rattling between the United States and Iran.

The Nikkei share average rose 1.60% to 23,575.72, recovering much of its losses posted in the previous session, though it failed to break above a resistance from 25-day moving average at 23,614.

In a positive sign for bulls, the broader Topix gained 1.62% to 1,725.05, already closing the chart gap made during the New Year holidays in just one day.

The mood calmed a little as there was no new aggression after Iran and the United States traded threats following a US air strike killing a top Iranian commander, with Wall Street ending in positive territory on Monday.

“The markets are hoping that there will be no full-scale military confrontation. The US side probably doesn’t want a war in an election year, neither does Iran, which is already hit by sanctions,” said Masayuki Doshida, a senior market analyst at Rakuten Securities.

Reuters