VOA慢速英语2019--丰田为打造“未来之城”测试新技术

Japanese automaker Toyota has announced plans to create a model "city of the future" to test and develop new technologies.

The project will involve "building a complete city from the ground up" at the foot of Japan's Mount¹ Fuji, Toyota said in a statement. The company announced the plans during the yearly CES technology show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Toyota calls the project "Woven City." It is meant to be a model for creating "smart cities" around the world. A smart city is an area developed with high-speed internet connectivity to link major information and communication systems. These systems – powered by data and sensors² - can improve living conditions relating to things like energy, transportation and health.

Experts say smart cities can be designed to greatly cut human-caused pollution, reduce traffic problems and create new uses for internet technology to affect everyday life.

The Woven City will aim to be a "living laboratory" for technologies including self-driving systems, robotics, smart homes and artificial intelligence, or AI.

Toyota says the city will be built on land where an automobile³ factory currently⁴ operates. The factory is set to close by the end of 2020.

The city will cover about 70 hectares of land and is designed to hold around 2,000 people. Residents could include Toyota employees and visiting researchers. The city will have its own police officers, fire and emergency services and schools.

The company says the city's main electrical power will come from hydrogen fuel technology. The city is planned to be fully⁵ sustainable, with buildings made mostly of wood. Buildings will be made with solar equipment to produce additional electricity.

Akio Toyoda is the president of Toyota Motor Corporation. He said in a statement that the city will aim to connect people, buildings and vehicles. This will permit researchers to carry out important testing of "connected AI technology," he said.

Toyoda added that the company welcomes cooperation on the project with partners from business or education.

City planners will divide the streets for different purposes. One part will be used for faster vehicle traffic. Another will be designed for people riding bicycles or scooters. A third part will be for walking.

The company says "homes will be built with the latest human support technologies." This includes robots to assist with daily living. Homes will also be equipped with sensors and systems designed to observe and improve peoples' physical and mental health.

Words in This Story

foot – n. at the bottom of

artificial intelligence – n. the development of computer systems with the ability to perform work that normally requires human intelligence

resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place

sustainable – adj. able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed

1 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

2 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

3 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

4 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。