At the foot of Mount Fuji, Japan has launched one of its most ambitious technological experiments, known as Woven City, a fully connected, self-contained prototype metropolis developed by Toyota Motor Corporation, Interesting Engineering reports.

More than a decade in conceptual development and five years in construction, the 175-acre site is designed to serve as a real-world testbed for future mobility, smart infrastructure, and sustainable living. Announced at CES 2020 and now set to launch in fall 2025, Woven City marks a critical milestone in Toyota’s transformation from an automobile manufacturer to a mobility-focused technology company. The experimental city occupies the former grounds of the Higashi-Fuji plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, approximately 140 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.

Described by Toyota as the world’s first “robot city,” Woven City will initially host 100 residents, mostly Toyota engineers, staff, and their families.

That figure is expected to grow to 360 during Phase 1, with a long-term population goal of 2,000.

 The city is populated by two key resident groups: “Inventors,” who design and test new technologies, and “Weavers,” who interact with and provide feedback on the systems in daily use. The concept’s core is Toyota’s e-Palette, an autonomous electric vehicle platform initially developed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. These vehicles will form the primary transport layer of Woven City, supported by an underground logistics network for autonomous goods delivery. Energy is provided through a hydrogen fuel cell grid, supplemented by solar panels, water recycling systems, and advanced eco-waste management.

Smart homes will incorporate robotics and AI to monitor health, manage energy, and optimize daily life. Each structure, street, and service is networked, enabling full-spectrum data collection and simulation of future urban models.

The city is a simulation environment and a functioning habitat, enabling direct real-world testing of smart infrastructure technologies.