Toyota is positioning itself as a global robotics powerhouse, aiming to deploy 400,000 robots as part of a $6.4bn annual investment plan to automate factories and compete beyond the auto industry. The Japanese automaker showcased its AI-powered Cue7 humanoid robot shooting basketballs at the Tokyo Arena, demonstrating advancements in intelligent robotics. In July, Toyota AI spinout Walden Robotics emerged from stealth, raising $300mn at a $1.1bn valuation.
Analysts at Bernstein dubbed it the "crown jewel" of Toyota's robotics ecosystem, noting its robots are already deployed in North American factories. Investor confidence is building on the back of two decades of R&D, with Toyota developing its own large behavioural models leveraging massive internal data. Goldman Sachs estimates Toyota could capture 3 to 8 per cent of the humanoid market by 2035, equivalent to 190,000 to 540,000 units.
Despite the optimism, shareholders caution that Toyota's other innovations, including hydrogen cars and solid-state batteries, have yet to live up to the hype. The push coincides with new CEO Kenta Kon taking the helm. Japan, once synonymous with robotics via Honda's Asimo and SoftBank's Pepper, now faces competition from the US and China. rivals like Hyundai are investing heavily, with plans to produce 30,000 Atlas units annually by 2028, while Tesla's Elon Musk targets 1mn Optimus units a year.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing