Toyota is training humanoid robots to work alongside human employees, aiming to deploy 400,000 robots in factories by 2028. While the move signals a significant shift in manufacturing, Toyota's executive vice president, Hiroki Nakajima, insists that robots and humans will coexist, not replace each other. The company plans to invest $6.42 billion annually to integrate these robots, with 150,000 set for its own automotive plants and another 250,000 for component and material production at affiliated companies.

Workers are currently teaching the ELEY humanoid robots, which can roll on wheels, to perform precise tasks using jigs based on finger movements. This collaboration is part of a broader push in the automotive industry, where industrial robots have been a longstanding presence. China alone deployed 2 million industrial robots in 2024, with Japan following closely behind at 450,500.

The future of Toyota's 18,000 veteran workers across 60 factories worldwide, including 11 US plants, remains uncertain. However, Toyota's commitment to coexistence suggests that while technology is advancing, human skills and roles could still find a place in the evolving factory landscape.