Toyota is building a tiny utopian prototype city filled with people, robots and AI – TechCrunch:
Toyota researches and tests robotics, material science, automated driving and alternative fuel technology in labs all around the world. Now the automaker is trying a new and far more ambitious project: build a prototype city on a 175-acre site at the foot of Mount Fugi in Japan, where people will live and work amongst all of Toyota’s projects, including its autonomous e-Palette shuttles and robots.
This won’t be another test site, Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda said Monday during a press conference ahead of CES 2020. Construction on the first phase of the city — which will be designed by acclaimed Danish architect Bjarke Ingels — will begin in 2021. His firm, Ingels Group (BIG) has designed high-profile projects such as 2 World Trade Center in New York, the Lego House in Denmark and Google’s Mountain View and London headquarters.
This is a passion project of Toyoda’s, several executives said after the press conference. And it was evident on stage.
“It’s my personal fields of dreams,” Toyoda said. “If they build it, they will come.”
(Score: 2) by Mojibake Tengu on Monday January 13 2020, @01:50PM (2 children)
A robotized city concept reminds me of Watoga, Fallout76. The most democratic place on the planet.
https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Watoga [fandom.com]
For some reason, this rich and dangerous region gets direct impact hits from nuclear silos by people every now and then...
What could possibly go wrong for Toyota?
...
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Freeman on Monday January 13 2020, @04:59PM (1 child)
Well, #1 that's game. #2, it takes all of the worst monetization schemes and shoves it into the Fallout universe. Unless they strip the stupid out of that game, I won't give it the time of day. Seems like they're doing good on the fleecing fans of a popular game franchise, though. Assuming, they ever make a Fallout 5, they better be up-front about the whole, we will never microtransactionize / turn this into a subscription or F2P game.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Mojibake Tengu on Monday January 13 2020, @06:35PM
Well, real Toyota Corporation has already a true history of being nuked in 1945, and air raids left them with no facilities left. That's why Watoga regular nuking by players in F76 came in my mind first as a parallel.
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Monday January 13 2020, @02:37PM (2 children)
In totally unrelated news, a funny name Toyota president has.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Mojibake Tengu on Monday January 13 2020, @02:47PM
It is a family business since 1926.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Toyoda [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Industries [wikipedia.org]
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 14 2020, @03:11AM
(Score: 2) by DutchUncle on Monday January 13 2020, @06:33PM (3 children)
"Experimental Prototype City Of Tomorrow" with international students, not just part of a theme park.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Freeman on Monday January 13 2020, @07:51PM (2 children)
Well, Disney died. So, whatever the vision for EPCOT is today, it's almost assuredly going to have the "how will that make us money" tag slapped onto it. Walt Disney had a vision and what he created was pretty epic. What you have now is just another giant corporation.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by damnbunni on Tuesday January 14 2020, @12:33PM (1 child)
To be fair, Walt's vision included making lots and lots of money.
He was pretty damn good at it, too.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday January 14 2020, @03:25PM
True, but he had a vision for the use of that money as well. He couldn't exactly do what he wanted with a couple pennies that he could rub together. Musk kinda reminds me of Walt Disney, they both had a few crackpot ideas, but the major difference is that I'd probably have liked to spend an afternoon with Disney. Musk doesn't exactly come across as a family friendly kinda guy.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"