Deployments

Toyota and Honda test humanoid robots on Japanese factory lines, from wire harnesses to final inspection

By Humanoid News Staff · Published 26 October 2026 · Last updated 26 October 2026

Short answer: Japan's two largest carmakers are testing humanoid robots on real production tasks. Toyota and Honda are trialling the machines on work ranging from installing wire harnesses to carrying out final inspections, according to Automotive News, whose reporting was relayed on 26 October by Seeking Alpha and TokenPost. Both companies showed their latest machines at the 2026 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo.

Honda's exhibit centred on its Avatar Robot, which Automotive News describes as using artificial intelligence to carry out delicate, complicated tasks with robotic human-like hands. The Robot Daily, summarising the same reporting, says Honda is beginning to rethink vehicle design around robot workers. Toyota is testing how humanoids handle assembly work; the Robot Daily reports the company has said it aims to roll out large numbers of factory robots from 2028, including its wheeled ELEY humanoid, which learns tasks from line workers.

Wire harnesses are a long-standing automation problem because the cables are flexible and must be routed by hand through the car body. Neither company has published trial volumes, success rates or a deployment date for humanoids on these tasks in the reports we cite.

The trials join a wider push by carmakers: see our coverage of FAW-Volkswagen's logistics tests with UBTECH and of Yaskawa's humanoid plans. More is on our pilots and deployments page.

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