Based in U.S. and led by former DARPA official Dr. Gill Pratt, the Toyota Research Institute was est. in 2016 with a $1Bn budget for 5-years. Focused on Ai and Robotics, by 2018 they created the Advanced Development (TRI–AD) division with partners for self-driving, energy and material sciences; in 2020 they announced the intended formation of Woven Planet Group Inc. which debuted here in Tokyo January of 2021.
Akio Toyoda introduced the Woven City concept at CES in January 2020, a real-world prototype facility to be built on the 175-acres site of their iconic former Higashi-Fuji plant in Shizuoka, Japan. The logic and desire for this project had been clearly stated several times, including a 50/50 JV with Panasonic signed in 2019 based on Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town effort which marked their 10th anniversary last year.
Woven officially opened phase-1 in September, welcoming 360 mostly staff residents, when completed they will house 2,000 people onsite. Noted key points on ‘Past Meets Future’ starting with the brand name nod to 1890s loom hand-built by Sakichi Toyoda, they also saved the old factory as Inventors Garage and Daisuke Toyoda, eldest son and heir apparent, is founding member and senior vice president of Woven.
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— 5×5 Editors