Technology & Research · Robot24.com Original

You Could Soon Spot Robots On The Streets In Japan

Toyota’s experimental community near Mount Fuji is moving beyond demonstrations.

September 7, 2026 by Vaishnavi

A compact autonomous shuttle stopped on a wet street outside a modern building in Japan, with a pedestrian holding an umbrella in the background.

TOKYO, Japan: Toyota is turning its Woven City project near Mount Fuji into a real-world testing ground for robots, autonomous delivery systems and AI. About 100 people are now living in the first phase of the city.

Residents are getting to see and use some of the technology being tested there, including home robots and automated logistics systems.

Toyota and Woven by Toyota have also developed a Robot Platform that connects robots with parts of the city’s infrastructure, such as elevators and automatic doors. The company says the platform is designed to help developers test robots faster and gather feedback from real-world use.

For now, Woven City is still an experiment. Many of the robots and AI systems being tested are prototypes or early-stage projects, rather than products already in everyday commercial use. Euronews reported on the technology being tested in the city.

Residents are effectively becoming part of the testing process. Automotive expert Shinya Yamamoto compared them to test drivers for a carmaker, saying they can try new technologies in a real setting and give manufacturers direct feedback on whether they are actually useful to people and society, according to Euronews.