Toyota claims plan for 400,000 factory robots won’t replace human workers

Toyota’s push comes as automakers race to develop and deploy humanoid robots.

Jeremy Hsu – Sep 22, 2026 5:06 PM|1

Image 1: Robotic arms on the vehicle assembly line at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic s.r.o. plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, on Feb. 2, 2026.Image 2: Robotic arms on the vehicle assembly line at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic s.r.o. plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, on Feb. 2, 2026.

Robotic arms on the vehicle assembly line at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic s.r.o. plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, on Feb. 2, 2026. Credit: Milan Jaros/Bloomberg via Getty Images Many automakers are developing or investing in their own humanoid robots, including Chinese electric vehicle makers such as Xpeng and Nio. South Korean automaker Hyundai plans to begin deploying Atlas humanoid robots developed by its US robotics subsidiary Boston Dynamics starting in 2028, with the goal of having up to 25,000 such robots in Hyundai and Kia plants worldwide over the next few years.

On September 21, Boston Dynamics announced it had launched a new robotics training centerat Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, an electric vehicle production facility in Georgia. That facility is designed to help train the Atlas robots on tasks such as sequencing automotive parts and placing the components in the correct order for assembly.

Image 4: Photo of Jeremy Hsu