Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda revealed his vision for a working technological laboratory at CES 2025. The facility would incorporate a technology lab with living facilities for inventors and engineers. The name of this utopian-style laboratory is Woven City, and the automaker has already broken ground at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Toyoda’s vision was first announced five years ago at another CES event. The recent statement cemented the plans, including upcoming announcements for pitches and when the project would commence. Toyoda also discussed exciting new ventures for the company, such as rockets, autonomous vehicles, and electric air taxis. 

Woven City

Toyota broke ground on Woven City in 2021 at the Jigashi-Fuji Plant in Susono City. The plant was the former site of Toyota Motor East Japan. The new location is a 175-acre prototype city at the base of Mount Fuji. The facility is already open and seeking inventors. The first phase of the project includes buildings for “co-creation.” The buildings will be living facilities for employees, scientists, entrepreneurs, and retirees to live in Woven City.

In phase two, Toyota will design a manufacturing facility at a former TMEJ Higashi-Fuji Plant. The project will likely take time to launch, as Toyota is waiting to see what happens during phase one to refine its ideas for the next phase. However, workers are already preparing a site for phase two. 

Utopian Wonderland

Toyoda first shared his vision at CES 2020: to build a utopian-style city that combined a Toyota working facility with living facilities. In this city, people would live among Toyota’s numerous projects, including the e-Palette shuttles and robots. Toyoda’s new vision includes autonomous vehicles, electric flying taxis, and rockets.

Following the press conference, Toyota announced that it plans to use its technology to build telecommunications infrastructure, which is needed to support autonomous vehicle technology. Toyoda mentioned that the company is also interested in electric air taxis. He specifically mentioned Joby Aviation, where the company recently invested $500 million.

Financials

Along with the recent $500 million investment in electric air taxi technology, Woven City has invested $44 million (7 billion yen) into startup Interstellar Technologies Inc. Toyota will utilize its expertise to support mass production of rockets. However, the company is not sure if this venture will be profitable. 

“I know what you are thinking with this Woven City. Will it make Toyota any money?” Toyoda asked at the conference. He continued, “ Well, maybe not, but that’s okay because as global citizens, I believe Toyota has a responsibility to invest in our collective future, to share what we’ve learned with others, and support new ideas.”

Open Call for Worldwide Inventors

Toyoda issued an open call from the stage at CES 2025: “Today, I say to anyone in any corner of the world who is inspired or excited to make a difference: Make a change, or make it count. Please consider this your official invitation to join us at Woven City.”

While some inventors have already joined, including WByT, Toyota will announce an open pitch for inventors in the summer of 2025. The pitch competition will offer scholarships to Woven City for “startups or individuals who need financial support to bring their ideas to life,” Toyoda said at the conference.

Woven City is in continuous talks with previously announced companies such as ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Rinnai Corporation, according to Toyota. 

Toyoda’s recent announcement about building Woven City has future global implications, primarily for the technology industry. Anybody with creative ideas is