This new 'living laboratory' is an AI-powered futuristic experiment for residents. Dystopia or Utopia?
Toyota has announced the completion of Phase 1 construction of its futuristic smart city and will start inviting its first 100 residents - primarily employees of Toyota and their families - later this year. Known as Woven City, it sits at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan and heralds a brave new era in experimental living.
What can the new residents expect? Well, imagine a city where self-driving electric cars whiz along roads designed exclusively for them and the sidewalks are a mix of people and robots going about their daily business. A drone delivers some coffee beans to your home because you used up the last of yours that morning. You didn't order it, your house placed the order for you.
Naturally, your smart house can automatically set exactly what temperature you like, your preferred mood lighting, and even notify your humanoid robot to start cooking your favourite dinner for you whilst you're on your way home from work.
The AI-powered building where you and your family reside knows everything about you and can cater to your every need. It's the sci-fi dream life we have all imagined, but in real life.
"Inventors" - namely the companies that founded the concept and their nominated residents - are, we are told, committed to working "for someone other than themselves" to create in a real-world test bed (a kind of "living laboratory") for the latest and greatest technology, services and products to be implemented into an entire community. "Weavers," the name for non-Inventor residents of and visitors to Woven City, will play a vital role through participation and co-creation in the space's activities to "expand mobility."
As you would expect, Woven City has received a LEED Platinum certification for the community, the highest globally recognized standard in energy and water efficiency, sustainable materials, innovation in design and more.
Although only 100 individuals will take up residence initially, Phase 1 will accommodate around 360 people in all. Phase 2 aims to reach a population of about 2,000. As residents settle in, it will not be open to the general public; visitors will be limited to friends and family of those already living there. The plan is to open to the general public sometime in late 2026.
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