Toyota and its current Chairman (former CEO) Akio Toyoda have said for years that creating a better planet isn't just about making electric cars, it's carbon neutrality. Over the past two years the company has been building Toyota Woven City, a mixed use development/test course for mobility, on a manufacturing site that used to accommodate the Toyota Motor East Japan, Higashi-Fuji plant.
"Toyota is all about diversification. We see it in its range of powertrain options, the evolving and expanding crossover and SUV lineup, and its technology investments," Paul Waatti, manager of industry analysis at AutoPacific told Newsweek.
The first phase of construction is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2024. Subsequently, preparations will be made for the start of some initial experiments in 2025. The 175-acre plot will initially house 360 people, with a plan to move in 1,600 more.
The city will function as a test bed for new mobility technologies. It will feature multiple types of above- and below-ground human-centered movement and navigation. For safety and efficiency commercial deliveries, urban logistics, pedestrians, and personal and public transportation will each have a separate pathway.
The joint venture between Toyota and Woven Planet will bring together people from diverse backgrounds and deputize them all as inventors. "Some are employees of Toyota and partner companies, some are independent developers, and others are ordinary residents, from children to senior citizens. In Woven City, to qualify to be an inventor you only need a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others," Toyota said in a press release.
Toyota wants to "extend the value of the car" by expanding what it can do, not just in mobility, but also with social systems. Its new software named Arene will be tested at the living laboratory that is Woven City. The software platform and vehicle operating system is targeted for deployment on vehicles beginning in 2025 before joining Toyota's next generation of BEVs in 2026.
"Toyota is working as thoroughly and aggressively as any other automaker, if not more so, to develop the tools and processes for developing the 'software-defined vehicle.' The Arene system will do at least what GM has discussed for its Ultifi platform and what Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have laid out for their software and operating systems," Stephanie Brinley, assistant director of research and analysis at S&P Global Mobility told Newsweek.
Toyota says Arene applies the principles of the Toyota Production System to automotive software development, aiming at better quality, reliability and performance. It should also be usable across models and the company says it will speed up the development of new vehicles while driving down costs. Arene will be able to deliver personalized experiences to customers through automated driving and driver assistance systems.
"While it is expected that Toyota will look to develop features which it will be able to monetize and is looking to create a system that enables a car to be updated for years after it leaves the showroom, the overall Woven projects reflect a more holistic view for how it may be used for wider mobility applications. What those specifically will be aren't clear yet, but Arene is being developed to support functions that haven't even been thought of yet, as well as a path to delivering improved systems that we can see," said Brinley.
Waatti agrees that this is a crucial development project for Toyota, as future vehicles become more connected and technologically advanced.
"Woven by Toyota might be Toyota's most critical venture when looking into the future mobility landscape. Woven's work on the Arene software platform will ensure Toyota's seat at the table as the entire industry shifts to more integrated software and advanced technologies in the software-defined era," he said.
The other issue is that Toyota is profitable. So it shouldn't decapitate its current lineup for a future one. Woven City is the test bed, to perfect the technologies before they reach the public.
"The use of the Woven subsidiary is also a smart move allowing the company to develop and test new technologies without disrupting the current profitable process of building and selling personal mobility vehicles. Toyota is grappling with the reality that BEVs aren't yet a good fit for today's Toyota buyers but also acknowledging that more BEVs will have to be part of the future Toyota portfolio," Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book told Newsweek.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
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