Toyota Elevates Robotics to Top-Level Business Unit, Parity with Electrification and Software

On November 5, 2026, Toyota reorganized its robotics department into a top-level business unit reporting directly to Chief Production Officer Toshihiko Shiga, placing it on equal footing with electrification and software divisions for the first time in the automaker's history. The shift moves the department from internal cost reduction to external commercialization, supported by testing of the ELEY robot—a wheeled chassis capable of observing humans and learning fine motor tasks like screwing bolts. While the strategy aims to leverage Toyota's manufacturing experience as a training ground for sellable solutions, key metrics such as budget scale, mass production timelines, and external sales progress remain undisclosed or unconfirmed.