Japanese automotive OEM Toyota announced this week that it has begun construction of its 700,000m2 (7.5m sq ft) Woven City – a smart city project at the foot of Mount Fuji. Some of the ‘weaving’ implied in its name comes from the meshing together of three types of thoroughfare – one dedicated to autonomous vehicles (AVs), one to pedestrians and one to micromobility. At the heart of the city concept, which was first announced at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, is the Toyota ePallete, an AV concept recently profiled in TTi magazine, which uses a basic vehicle chassis that is repurposable for multiple uses, from office space to mobile shops.
VIDEO: Toyota begins construction of smart city to be served by autonomous vehicles
By Tom Stone
Tom Stone
Tom has edited Traffic Technology International (TTi) magazine and its Traffic Technology Today website since May 2014. During his time at the title, he has interviewed some of the top transportation chiefs at public agencies around the world as well as CEOs of leading multinationals and ground-breaking start-ups. Tom's earlier career saw him working on some the UK's leading consumer magazine titles. He has a law degree from the London School of Economics (LSE).