Woven City, an ambitious Toyota technology development process five years in the making, has opened - and Kiwis will benefit.

IDEAS from Toyota’s Woven City, a vast project in Japan that aims at accelerating real-world trials of next-generation technologies, will thread into how the brand works in New Zealand.

That’s a thought is shared by Toyota New Zealand’s boss Tatsuya Ishikawa.

The Palmerston North national operation’s chief executive officer says the philosophy for innovation being tested in Japan at a facility called Woven City connects directly to Toyota New Zealand’s local mission to deliver Mobility for All as part of the mobility company’s Let’s Go Places brand promise.

Toyota Japan opened the first section of its testing site near Japan's Mt. Fuji last week, more than five years after unveiling the concept.

The global automotive industry has been shifting rapidly towards electrification, automation and software-driven innovation since Akio Toyoda, now Toyota's chairman but back then its CEO, announced the project in January 2020.

Toyota has named its Toyota's software-focused technology unit Woven by Toyota. The ‘city’ sets out to simulate a real-life urban environment where residents live alongside experimental technologies such as autonomous vehicles and robotics.

About 300 people, including Toyota employees and their families, are expected to eventually live on-site as part of the first phase of the project.

“Toyota New Zealand is not just envisioning the future of transport but actively creating it,” says Ishikawa.

“We believe mobility is a universal right, and through technology we are evolving from being solely a new vehicle sales-oriented company to offering total mobility solutions to drive New Zealand forward.”

That includes electrification and multiple powertrain technologies, he explains, as well as flexible options such as shorter-term car sharing via Cityhop by Toyota and car rentals via Ezi Car Rental by Toyota. All will make experiencing the brand more accessible.

While Woven City in Japan is testing the future of mobility, Toyota New Zealand is working to bring many of these ideas to life here at home, he says.

His view: Through Cityhop by Toyota, New Zealand’s first car share service, more people can access a Toyota when and where they need it, without the cost of ownership.

Similarly, Ezi Car Rental by Toyota provides flexible short- and long-term rental options, allowing Kiwis to scale their transport up or down as their needs change — whether for family trips, business, or seasonal demand.

Toyota’s leadership in hybrid electric vehicles has already put more than 100,000 hybrids on New Zealand roads, reducing both emissions and fuel use in everyday driving.

“Looking further ahead, Toyota New Zealand is also investing in hydrogen innovation and supporting Global Bus Ventures through our hydrogen trucks.”

“The deployment of the GEH2 generator, powered by Toyota’s latest hydrogen fuel cell technology, demonstrates how zero-emission energy can be used to power events, worksites, and communities, Ishikawa said via a formal brand communication.

“As Woven City evolves, the technologies pioneered there will shape real-world solutions here in New Zealand. From smarter energy systems to more flexible mobility services.

“These innovations ensure we can preserve the Kiwi way of life while reducing our environmental impact, strengthening our economy, and supporting our communities to thrive,” says Ishikawa.

Woven City will continue to expand, with wider public access planned from next year.