Technologies being developed at Woven City in Japan could eventually find their way to the Philippines, but the rollout will depend on market conditions, according to Woven by Toyota (WbyT).
John Absmeier, chief technology officer and director of WbyT said during the Kakezan 2026, that mobility and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies being developed in Woven City are intended to be applied to markets beyond Japan.
‘These technologies are meant to scale globally and I think generally speaking it’s market dependent,’ he said when asked about the potential deployment in the Philippines.
Organized by Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) and its subsidiary WbyT, Kakezan 2026 was held to showcase technologies being developed in Woven City, which serves as the test course for mobility and AI technologies.
Located at the former Toyota Higashi-Fuji plant in Susono City, Woven City is where inventors and weavers co-create technologies in a real world setting to help solve everyday challenges and enhance lives.
Inventors in Woven City are not limited to the Toyota Group, but include a diverse range of companies, startups and academia.
As inventors develop products and services in Woven City, they are able to receive feedback from weavers or residents and visitors who experience these innovations first-hand.
Daisuke Toyoda, senior vice president at WbyT and son of TMC chairman Akio Toyoda, said weavers are included in the creation process as they can serve as customers in the real world.
‘Through this, we can make improvements before launching to the market,’ he said.
Through Woven City, he said Toyota wants to make people happy and enhance their lives through technology.
As Toyota aims to transform into a mobility company, it aims to help create a safe and secure mobility society and shape a brighter future for the next generations through Woven City.
Even before Toyota became a globally renowned in the automotive industry, the philosophy of working for others has been driving the company’s initiatives.
Toyota’s founder Sakichi Toyoda was determined to ease his mother’s countless hours of working when he worked on his first invention, the wooden hand loom.
Technologies showcased at the Woven City include the automated driving technology Arene, which enables vehicles to interpret complex driving environments, anticipate the behavior of other road users and respond by providing smooth, natural and human-inspired driving.
Also featured at the event was Akio Toyoda’s AI live demo, which was accepting questions and providing answers.
Asked if there is a chance these new technologies in Woven City would be deployed in a market like the Philippines, Akio Toyoda’s AI said there is potential as Woven City was created not just for Japan alone, but to welcome partners from all over the world.
‘I think there’s plenty of room for connection in markets like the Philippines, as long as the technology can be adapted to benefit the people living there,’ Akio Toyoda’s AI said.
As the aim is for Woven City’s technologies to be used globally, Absmeier said the company is also looking to work with inventors, weavers and even governments from other countries.
‘Some of the work that we’re doing is already starting to be used in other parts of the world…We will work with municipalities, governments, regions around the world in deploying these technologies,’ he said.