Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - March 2020 - 26

Smart Cities

Toyota

Toyota's e-Palette automated vehicle
plays prominently in Woven City's
mobility framework.

town as an opportunity to transform AI to intelligence
amplified. "In a world where the negative aspects of artificial intelligence seem to be on the rise," Toyoda said, "this
will be an opportunity to apply it with integrity and trust."
Meanwhile, Kuffner said "there are many possibilities with improved infrastructure" including
underground placement of hydrogen fuel cells and
routes for robotic delivery of goods to the network of
homes, laboratories, retailers and even light manufacturing envisioned for the mixed-use town. The
fuel cells, coupled with solar panels on the rooftops
of the predominantly wood buildings (constructed
using traditional Japanese wood-joining techniques),
are meant to make Woven City grid-independent and
low in carbon generation.

What about getting around?

Ironically, Toyota slightly downplayed the pure transportation aspects of Woven City. Executives noted the
comparatively small size of the site means mobility needs
are seen mostly as "last-mile" modes such as scooters and
other personal-mobility options. The company's e-Palette
automated vehicle platform - which can be sized and
bodied for a variety of uses - figures prominently in the
Woven City master plan. A video showed vehicles even
entering buildings from outside.
"Once vehicles become emissions-free, that opens
up possibilities that aren't there today," said Danish
architect Bjarke Ingels, CEO and founding partner,
Bjarke Ingels Group, who Toyota commissioned for
the design of Woven City. His group's prominent
projects include Google's headquarters complexes in
California and London and 2 World Trade Center in
New York. Ingels explained that the town's transportation master plan segregates streets of three varieties:
streets for faster, larger vehicles; a mixed-use route for

March 2020

lower-speed, personal-use vehicles and pedestrians;
and a third, promenade-type path exclusively for
pedestrians.
Ingels also said the town might include automated-vehicle (AV)-only zones, and the projected extra
"right-of-way" freed by the design could lead to "a
rebirth of things that are almost forgotten" in today's
cities, marketplaces and plazas. He said the design
explores methods to stimulate human interaction that
have become largely outmoded in cities thanks to new
connectivity and social-media options.

Project never finished

Crucially, said Toyoda, the Woven City will never be
truly complete. He and other company executives told
media that the design is intended to continually evolve
and adapt according to how the town and its technologies are working in residents' daily routines. The town's
digital twin also will be leveraged to study the evolution and build-out of the design, helping to accelerate
the implementation of design and technology, said
Kuffner. He added that the simulation environment
can help insure the infrastructure is in harmony with
the needs of the town and the occupants.
Toyota's invitation to other commercial and
academic partners, as well as scientists and researchers
from around the world is projected to bring residents that
stay anywhere from a from a few months to longer. They'll
mix with Toyota employees and their families, retired
citizens and others expected to make up the majority of
Woven City residents.
"We plan to roll out the welcome mat to anyone
interested in participating in this project with us, to
anyone inspired to improve the way we live in the future,"
said CEO Toyoda. "I truly believe this is a project that can
benefit everyone - not just Toyota." ■

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE ENGINEERING

Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - March 2020

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