Sep 27, 2023 | Business
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Woven by Toyota, Inc. (Woven by Toyota) announced today that, to accelerate the implementation of software in social systems and vehicles, they intend to strengthen their relationship by making Woven by Toyota a wholly owned Toyota subsidiary.
Toward realizing a mobility-based society in which everyone can move freely, happily, and comfortably, Toyota is transforming itself into a mobility company. Going forward, it intends to transition into the phase of accelerating vehicle intelligence and software implementation in building a social system platform in which mobility becomes a part of the social system.
Upon entering a period of transition from software development to software implementation, Toyota and Woven by Toyota have been restructuring the Toyota Group, including Denso Corporation (Denso), as described below:
In April of this year, Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. changed its name to Woven by Toyota, Inc. and underwent a corporate reorganization. This is a result of the coinciding of Toyota’s desire to realize software implementation in vehicles at an early stage and Woven by Toyota’s belief that development that is in step with customers’ needs is necessary for accelerating software implementation in society. As such, Woven by Toyota was reorganized, and it was decided that software development by Woven by Toyota would take the form of being outsourced from Toyota.
In addition, a review of the software development structure in the Toyota Group was announced this month. As a result, the three companies of Toyota, Woven by Toyota, and Denso will strengthen collaborative efforts and are restructuring their organizations and human resources across all three companies to enhance the value of mobility through a software-centered approach.
Following the change to a system in which all software development at Woven by Toyota is outsourced to Toyota, Toyota will hold all common shares of Woven by Toyota, making Woven by Toyota a wholly owned subsidiary. By doing so, Toyota will be able to speedily implement the software into social systems and vehicles and quickly deliver to customers the joy, comfort, and convenience of mobility through the fusion of software and hardware.
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Oct 13, 2021 | Business
Woven Capital, L.P., the investment arm of the Woven Planet Group, a Toyota subsidiary that is dedicated to building the safest mobility in the world, today announced that it has made an investment in the Climate Technology Sustainability Fund of 2150 (a.k.a. 2150). 2150 is a London and Copenhagen-based venture capital firm investing in technology companies that seek to reimagine the urban environment and reshape it sustainably. Woven Capital is an $800 million global investment fund that supports innovative, growth-stage companies in mobility, automation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, connectivity, and smart cities.
“2150 recognizes that a dramatic rethinking of the urban environment is required to fuel a strong economic and environmental future,” said Michiko Kato, Principal, Woven Capital. “The technologies that they have already backed have the potential to mitigate over 1.6 gigatons of CO2 emissions. Toyota is committed to the global goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and we are excited to serve as a partner to 2150 and the entrepreneurs they support to build on these efforts and tackle the sustainability issues that confront our urban landscape.”
“As the United Nations has stated, the battle on climate change will be won or lost in our cities,” said Nicole LeBlanc, Partner, Platform, 2150. “Woven Capital’s investment will help us take on critical sustainability challenges in the built environment. We are actively working with entrepreneurs who are pioneering solutions that will help all of us rethink and recast urban communities to ensure an environmentally-sound tomorrow.”
Launched in February 2021, 2150 uses technology, data, and tools to help reduce the carbon footprint of the world’s cities and improve the health, safety, and productivity of people who live and work in urban environments. The fund invests across all layers of city infrastructure from the materials used, to the efficiency algorithms, sensors, and software that facilitate construction automation.
About Woven Capital
Woven Capital is an $800 million global investment fund that supports growth-stage companies focused on technology and innovation in mobility. It was founded in 2021 as the corporate venture capital investment arm of the Woven Planet Group, a group of subsidiaries of Toyota. Woven Capital invests in mobility technologies, automation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, connectivity, and smart cities globally.
About Woven Planet Group
Woven Planet Group represents a carefully curated blend of expertise and resources dedicated to bringing the vision of “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live” to life. Through innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more, we are transforming how humankind lives, works, and moves. We exist to design, build, and deliver secure, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions that benefit all people worldwide. Founded in 2018 as Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (“TRI-AD”), Woven Planet is composed of four complementary companies: Woven Planet Holdings, Woven Core, Woven Alpha, and Woven Capital.
For more information, please visit: https://www.woven-planet.global/
About 2150
2150 is a venture capital firm investing in technology companies that seek to sustainably reimagine and reshape the urban environment. 2150’s investment thesis focuses on major unsolved problems across what it calls the ‘Urban Stack’, which comprises every element of the built environment, from the way our cities are designed, constructed and powered, to the way people live, work and are cared for.
For more information, please visit: www.2150.vc
Contact:
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc.
pr@woven-planet.glob
Aug 18, 2021 | Business
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (“Woven Planet”), a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the closing of the acquisition of CARMERA, a U.S.-based spatial AI company that specializes in developing scalable, next-generation mapping solutions for automated mobility, a proposed transaction previously announced in July 2021. Following its acquisition of Level 5, the automated driving division of Lyft Inc., this is the second acquisition for Woven Planet, a group that is focused on mobility innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more.
The CARMERA team has been a long-standing, trusted partner to Woven Planet, and with the closing of the transaction, Woven Planet will immediately oversee their offices and operations in New York and Seattle. They will join Woven Planet’s Automated Mapping Platform (“AMP”) team, helping develop AMP to become the most globally comprehensive road and lane network HD map platform, enabling high-precision localization support to automated vehicles. CARMERA’s strengths in map updates, change management and camera-based crowdsourcing from fleets will complement and help expand upon the HD mapping platform Woven Planet has already built. Together with Level 5 and Toyota Research Institute (“TRI”), the addition of CARMERA will bring Woven Planet one step closer to achieving its vision “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live.”
The deal closure follows the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review of the deal.
Comment from James Kuffner, CEO, Woven Planet
“This acquisition will accelerate our AMP initiative that will advance our mission to develop the safest mobility in the world at scale. Bringing CARMERA’s world-class engineers and experts into the fold–as well as additional technology resources and footprints in New York and Seattle–the Woven Planet team, alongside the team of TRI and Level 5, will help us reach our goal of providing the best globally comprehensive road and lane network HD map platform. We will transform the world we live in through mobility technologies that can bring about a happier, safer future for us all.”
About Woven Planet Group
Woven Planet Group represents a carefully curated blend of expertise and resources dedicated to bringing the vision of “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live” to life. Through innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more, we are transforming how humankind lives, works, and moves. We exist to design, build, and deliver secure, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions that benefit all people worldwide. Founded in 2018 as Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (“TRI-AD”), Woven Planet is composed of four complementary companies: Woven Planet Holdings, Woven Core, Woven Alpha and Woven Capital.
For more information, please visit: https://www.woven-planet.global/
About CARMERA
CARMERA is a spatial AI company, built on the revolution of vehicular crowdsourcing and remote sensing to capture street-level change, at global breadth and high definition depth. CARMERA employs an open systems approach to working with the world’s leading automotive companies, commercial mobility operators, and mapping platforms. With a team hailing from leading geospatial, machine learning and computer vision organizations, and venture backing from Google Ventures among others, the company is headquartered in New York City and Seattle. CARMERA is the recipient of multiple industry awards, including Frost & Sullivan’s 2020 North American Mapping Company of the Year.
For more information, please visit: https://www.carmera.com/
Contact
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc.
pr@woven-planet.global
Cop
Jul 20, 2021 | Business
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (“Woven Planet”), a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the closing of the acquisition of Level 5, the self-driving division of Lyft, Inc. (“Lyft”), a proposed transaction previously announced in April 2021. This marks the first acquisition for Woven Planet, a group that is focused on mobility innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more.
With the acquisition in place, Woven Planet will be provided with technology, talent, and an international footprint that will accelerate its efforts. Woven Planet will immediately oversee Level 5’s offices and operations in Silicon Valley and London. In addition, Woven Planet welcomes Level 5’s team of over 300 high-caliber engineers, research scientists, and mobility specialists. It will also be acquiring the Lyft division’s significant sensing, computing, and software assets, and Level 5’s strategic capabilities in automated driving systems.
The deal closure follows the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review of the deal and determination that there are no unresolved national security concerns with respect to the transaction.
Comment from James Kuffner, CEO, Woven Planet
“As the first major acquisition for the Woven Planet Group, Level 5 represents a significant investment in our future. This deal strengthens our capabilities to deliver on the promise of freedom and mobility for all, uniting the resources, talent and technology needed to place us at the forefront of the mobility revolution. World-class skills and expertise from Level 5 will be combined with exceptional engineering know-how from Woven Planet and research insights from the team at Toyota Research Institute to form an industry brain trust. We are excited to bring this acquisition over the finish line, building a ‘dream team’ within the automotive and mobility industry.”
About Woven Planet Group
Woven Planet Group represents a carefully curated blend of expertise and resources dedicated to bringing the vision of “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live” to life. Through innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more, we are transforming how humankind lives, works, and moves. We exist to design, build, and deliver secure, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions that benefit all people worldwide. Founded in 2018 as Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (TRI-AD), Woven Planet is composed of four complementary companies: Woven Planet Holdings, Woven Core, Woven Alpha, and Woven Capital.
For more information, please visit: https://www.woven-planet.global/
About Lyft
Lyft was founded in 2012 and is one of the largest transportation networks in the United States and Canada. As the world shifts away from car ownership to transportation-as-a-service, Lyft is at the forefront of this massive societal change. Lyft’s transportation network brings together rideshare, bikes, scooters, car rentals and transit all in one app. Lyft is singularly driven by our mission: to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation.
Contact:
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc.
pr@woven-planet.globa
Jul 15, 2021 | Business
Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (“Woven Planet”), a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced the acquisition of CARMERA, Inc. (“CARMERA”), a U.S.-based spatial AI company, which specializes in bringing next-generation road intelligence to automated mobility at scale. This is the second major deal for Woven Planet in North America, following the April 2021 announcement to acquire Level 5, the self-driving division of Lyft.
Once the deal is closed, the CARMERA team will report into the Automated Mapping Platform (“AMP”) organization of Woven Alpha, Inc. (“Woven Alpha”). Woven Alpha focuses on exploring new strategic areas for business expansion and incubates several innovative projects such as Woven City and Arene, which is Woven Planet’s open software platform. AMP is a connected crowdsourced software platform that supports the creation, development and distribution of high definition (“HD”) maps–a key enabler for smart and safe automated mobility.
The Woven Alpha team plans to develop AMP to become the most globally comprehensive road and lane network HD map platform, enabling high-precision localization support to automated vehicles. The acquisition of CARMERA will accelerate AMP’s shift from the R&D stage to the next phase of commercialization by bolstering the platform’s engineering team with top experts in the development of HD maps. In addition, it will provide access to CARMERA’s sophisticated map update, change management and IoT sensing technology.
Together, the teams will tap into CARMERA’s ability to successfully update HD maps from crowdsourced, camera-based inputs–a significantly cheaper and faster approach than traditional methods. This will strengthen AMP’s ability to serve a comprehensive set of road classes and features, reflecting changes in lane markings, traffic signals, signs and more in near real-time, and support its future multi-regional commercial launch.
CARMERA will join Woven Planet Group as a wholly-owned subsidiary, expanding the company’s footprint beyond its Tokyo headquarters by adding New York and Seattle offices to its planned offices in Silicon Valley and London.
Comment from Mandali Khalesi, Vice President of Automated Driving Strategy and Mapping, Woven Planet
“AMP has been a key project of Woven Planet since its foundation, helping support its vision of ‘Mobility to Love, Safety to Live.’ We’ve been progressing steadily in bringing safe automated mobility to the passenger and commercial vehicle segments, such as our recent announcements with Isuzu Motors Limited and Hino Motors, Ltd., and with Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation. I’m really excited to welcome CARMERA to Woven Planet. With CARMERA joining the team, we’ll be able to hit the accelerator. CARMERA’s software stack, which is focused on real-time HD map changes and proprietary hardware custom-tailored to crowdsourcing, is an ideal complement to AMP’s mapping efforts. In addition, their world-class experts will allow us to bring forward the execution of key strategic milestones and jumpstart operations in the United States.”
Comment from Ro Gupta, CEO and Co-founder, CARMERA
“Woven Planet and AMP have been highly aligned with CARMERA’s culture and mission from the beginning. Our teams have a common view of the unmet need for ubiquity in advanced mobility data going forward, including maps. Woven Planet, thanks to its software-first automotive DNA, shares our commitment to the end-user–to creating a technology stack that can be used safely and without friction by all stakeholders from data originators through to data consumers. This validates and furthers our founding thesis that richer, faster spatial intelligence is both critical to the next generation of ‘Mobility for All’ and viable at global-production scale. I’m beyond excited for CARMERA to join the Woven Planet organization, as it continues to strengthen its footprint in North America and ramp up its software-first development of mobility innovations.”
An earlier partnership between Woven Planet–under its predecessor organization Toyota Research institute – Advanced Development, Inc.–and CARMERA in Tokyo, Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan, laid the groundwork for this deal. Woven Planet and CARMERA participated in collaborative projects in 2018, 2019 and 2020, which proved the companies can successfully develop and update HD maps from commodity, device-agnostic sources, such as commercially available dashboard-mounted cameras.
About Woven Planet Group
Woven Planet Group represents a carefully curated blend of expertise and resources dedicated to bringing the vision of “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live” to life. Through innovations and investments in automated driving, robotics, smart cities, and more, we are transforming how humankind lives, works, and moves. We exist to design, build, and deliver secure, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions that benefit all people worldwide. Founded in 2018 as Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (TRI-AD), Woven Planet Group is composed of four complementary companies: Woven Planet Holdings, Woven Core, Woven Alpha, and Woven Capital.
For more information, please visit: https://www.woven-planet.global/
About CARMERA
CARMERA is a spatial AI company, built on the revolution of vehicular crowdsourcing and remote sensing to capture street-level change, at global breadth and high definition depth. CARMERA employs an open systems approach to working with the world’s leading automotive companies, commercial mobility operators, and mapping platforms. With a team hailing from leading geospatial, machine learning and computer vision organizations, and venture backing from GV (Google Ventures) among others, the company is headquartered in New York City and Seattle. CARMERA is the recipient of multiple industry awards, including Frost & Sullivan’s 2020 North American Mapping Company of the Year.
For more information, please visit: https://www.carmera.com/
Topic: Press release summary
