Toyota Motor plans to spend approximately ¥1 trillion annually from 2028 to modernize and rebuild about 60 plants worldwide, deploying 400,000 self-developed robots across its own factories and group-affiliated production sites. Japanese media reports said 150,000 robots will operate at Toyota plants and 250,000 at facilities run by affiliated companies. The initiative includes ELEY, a 50-kilogram wheeled robot with a two-fingered gripper that learns fine motor skills by observing workers. Built on Large Behavior Models developed by the Toyota Research Institute, ELEY completed a T-shirt-folding demonstration after about two weeks and 1,500 training iterations. Toyota says the strategy is intended to support human workers rather than replace them. Training data will be shared across the global factory network, allowing robots to transfer skills between sites and eventually teach methods to employees. The program also links production equipment and robots through Toyota’s Connected Factory, internally called Factory Automation 3.0. The company’s roughly 18,000 takumi master craftsmen will provide an important source of manufacturing expertise for the system. Earlier reporting described the ¥1 trillion figure as an annual factory-modernization estimate covering Toyota, group companies and major suppliers, with no stated duration; the newer plan specifies Toyota and group-affiliated plant deployment while emphasizing gradual upgrades rather than replacing all existing robots. Toyota’s effort adds to automakers’ broader push into Physical AI and factory robotics, while Hyundai has separately said it plans to deploy humanoid robots at its U.S. plant in Georgia from 2028.