Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) is bringing a new set of hands to its factory floors, and they happen to belong to a humanoid robot named Digit. After testing the robot in a pilot program, Toyota signed a commercial deal with Agility Robotics to officially put Digit to work. The goal is to have these robots handle the repetitive, physically draining tasks that usually wear people out in supply chain and logistics operations.

Manufacturing cars involves a lot of “monotonous” work that is getting harder for companies to staff. Digit is designed to step into those roles without requiring Toyota to redesign its entire factory. Because the robot is built to work in spaces made for humans, it can simply walk in and start helping where it’s needed most.

“Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada has long been a leader in automotive manufacturing innovation,” Tim Hollander, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, said. “After evaluating a number of robots, we are excited to deploy Digit to improve the team member experience and further increase operational efficiency in our manufacturing facilities.”

Robots and People Working Side-by-Side

Toyota and Agility are looking at how AI can help robots learn new workflows on the fly. They want to see if Digit can take over the most “taxing” parts of the production line to keep human workers safer and less fatigued. This lets employees focus on more complex work that actually requires a human touch.

“Toyota is one of the premier companies in the world; one with a long history of innovation and success, so it’s a privilege to join forces to integrate humanoid robotic solutions like Digit into automotive production,” Agility’s CEO, Peggy Johnson, said.

She also pointed out that the next version of the robot is being built with safety as a top priority.

“I look forward to continuing our work with Toyota to identify all the ways that Digit can help the employees working at their production facilities,” Johnson explained. “With our next generation of Digit, we will be the first company to deliver the first cooperatively safe humanoid robot to work alongside people, allowing companies like Toyota to scale their use of humanoids well beyond what is possible today.”