Any journey to Japan can feel at times like stepping into the future, so it comes as no surprise that Japan is now set to build an autonomous city of the future, with the help of Toyota. You read that title correctly – Toyota is building a fully interconnected city of the future, with self driving vehicles, fully automated homes and robots at every turn. Situated near Mount Fuji, it may become an even more popular attraction. Just wait until you see the video…
Toyota has announced the world’s first city of the future, now. Well, from early 2021. At the famed Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Toyota unveiled plans to build a 175 acre “woven” city near the footsteps of Mt. Fuji, where scientists, researchers and futurists will collaborate to create new ideas and solutions for futuristic living. The city will officially be known as Woven City.
It sounds a bit like a cult, but so much better.
Everything will be autonomous, everything will be powered by solar or hydrogen and for now, everything sounds out of this world. It’s fascinating to think of creating something from the ground up, uninhibited by the flaws in current city designs.
“Envisioned as a “living laboratory,” the city will be 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.”
At the moment, it’s not fully understood how you can volunteer to be a guinea pig for this one of a kind city of the future as a “full time resident”, but if we find out, we’ll be sure to pass on the info, after we submit our applications of course. Can you even imagine living at the base of Mt. Fuji, in a city out of the wildest movie dreams? Let’s just hope they allow tourists to visit…
Just watch the video, it’ll be the highlight of your day…
Here’s more, from the official announcement out of Toyota…
The city is planned to be fully sustainable, with buildings made mostly of wood using traditional Japanese joinery and robotised production methods, to minimise the carbon footprint. The roofs will be covered in photo-voltaic panels to generate solar power, adding to the energy produced by hydrogen fuel cells. Toyota also plans to weave in the natural world throughout the city, with native vegetation and hydroponics.
Residential buildings will be equipped with the latest human support technologies, such as in-home robotics to assist with daily living. Homes will use sensor-based AI to check the occupants’ health, take care of basic needs and enhance daily life. The project will be an opportunity to deploy connected technology with integrity and trust, securely and positively.
Only fully autonomous, zero-emission vehicles will be allowed on the main thoroughfares to move residents around. Throughout the city, autonomous Toyota e-Palette vehicles will be used for transport and deliveries, and as changeable mobile retail units.
Neighbourhood parks, a large central recreation area and a central plaza for social gatherings will be designed to bring the community together. Toyota believes that encouraging human connection will be an equally important aspect of the Woven City experience.
Sign me up. Anyone else extremely intrigued and excited by this?
It’s WestWorld: Fuji edition.