Toyota Motor Corporation and its subsidiary, Woven by Toyota, Inc., officially unveiled a suite of advanced artificial intelligence technologies at Toyota Woven City on April 22, 2026. The announcement centered on the Woven City AI Vision Engine, a large-scale AI foundation model designed to enhance the city’s real-time environmental awareness and response capabilities. This release marks a significant expansion of the technological infrastructure at Woven City, which officially launched in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, in September 2025.
The AI Vision Engine is categorized as a leading Vision Language Model (VLM). It functions by integrating visual data from camera feeds with behavioral and environmental inputs from mobility systems and user data. According to official statements, the model identifies patterns and potential risks to enable coordinated responses across the city's connected systems. This technology serves as the core of the Woven City Integrated ANZEN System, which incorporates additional specialized AI components: Woven City Behavior AI and Woven City Drive Sync Assist. Behavior AI is engineered to interpret and predict human movement patterns, while Drive Sync Assist provides real-time driving support based on surrounding conditions and specific driver requirements.
In addition to safety-focused AI, the companies introduced the Woven City Infra Hub and the Woven City Data Fabric. The Infra Hub acts as an integrated data platform that unifies information streams across the urban environment. The Data Fabric provides the management framework for this data, focusing on utilization while maintaining individual privacy preferences. These systems are intended to allow people, mobility technologies, and physical infrastructure to operate as a single, coordinated ecosystem to improve urban safety and efficiency.
The event also marked the opening of the Woven City Inventor Garage, a dedicated research and development facility. The structure spans approximately 24,000 square meters across three levels, including one basement floor. It is designed to facilitate the Kakezan concept—a Japanese term for multiplication—which refers to the collaborative synergy between Toyota’s manufacturing expertise and the software capabilities of external partners. With the addition of four new partners—the AI Robot Association, DAIICHIKOSHO CO., LTD., Joby Aviation, Inc., and Toyota Financial Services Corporation—the total number of Inventors participating in Woven City has reached 24.
Specific applications demonstrated during the unveiling included a proof-of-concept project with UCC Japan Co., Ltd. utilizing the AI Vision Engine. Other showcased technologies included an in-vehicle AI Agent that monitors driver fatigue and psychological states via facial recognition, and Akio Toyoda AI, a conversational system trained on the thought patterns and voice of the company’s chairman. These developments are part of a broader strategy to implement AI that complements human intuition rather than replacing it, according to company officials.