Toyota Motor Group is advancing a large-scale initiative to deploy 400,000 self-developed robots across its worldwide production facilities, including humanoid models capable of acquiring skills directly from human workers. This strategy marks a significant shift toward a collaborative human-machine operational model within the automotive giant's manufacturing framework.

According to a report on September 18, the plan outlines that Toyota and its affiliated companies will invest approximately 1 trillion yen annually starting in 2028, focusing on the renovation and reconstruction of global plants. Within this framework, Toyota's own factories will see the installation of 150,000 robots, while another 250,000 units will be distributed across facilities operated by group companies, covering around 60 plants worldwide.

Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota's Executive Vice President, emphasized the philosophy behind the initiative: "Our aim is to build a world where robots and humans coexist rather than one where robots replace people." This clarifies that the automation push is not about substituting the workforce but rather integrating robotic technology more deeply into existing production workflows.

Shifting Manufacturing Expertise From Skilled Artisans to Intelligent Machines

A cornerstone of this strategy is the ELEY (Embodied Learning Robot for Enhanced Yield) system. This innovative robot weighs approximately 50 kilograms and features a wheeled base paired with two-finger grippers. Its primary function is to observe seasoned workers performing tasks and autonomously learn dexterous movements through visual analysis.

In practice, employees wear assistive devices modeled after ELEY's fingers to repeatedly execute standardized operations. The robot studies these actions visually, continuously refining its execution methods. Reports indicate that ELEY recently demonstrated its capabilities at Toyota's European regional headquarters in mid-September by folding T-shirts. After roughly two weeks of training involving about 1,500 repetitions, the robot achieved this task with near-perfect accuracy.

Toyota intends to extend this learning model by sharing training data across its global factory network, enabling robots at different sites to quickly master identical skills. As the training infrastructure matures, these machines will not only learn from human workers but will also be able to transmit their acquired operational knowledge to new employees, creating a complete feedback loop that transitions from "humans teaching robots" to "robots teaching humans."

This extensive system is built upon Toyota's vast manufacturing footprint. The company currently operates approximately 60 factories around the globe, supported by a dedicated workforce of roughly 18,000 "takumi" master technicians. The long-accumulated manufacturing insights and standardized procedures of these skilled workers will serve as a crucial data reservoir for the continuous learning of the robotic systems. Concurrently, Toyota's planned annual investment of about 1 trillion yen to upgrade its plants will lay the essential groundwork for the scaled deployment of robotics throughout its worldwide production operations.