Toyota, Yaskawa deploy AI robots in GR Kart production

The deployment of Yaskawa Electric's Motoman NEXT robot by Toyota GAZOO Racing represents a shift in factory automation. Unlike conventional industrial robots that execute programmed sequences under closely controlled conditions, this new system is described as "AI-equipped." It can assess differences in a frame, such as gaps between pipes and temperature, before deciding how to carry out the weld.

This capability extends to quality control, as the Motoman NEXT robot can inspect completed welds and perform its own corrections when standards are not met. This aligns with Toyota's long-standing approach to factory automation, which expects machinery to identify irregularities. However, the new system advances this by giving the robot more responsibility for deciding how to respond to varying conditions and checking its own work.

The technology originated from a challenge in motorsports, where fabricating race-car roll cages could take weeks. This led to the development of Sequence Freezing Arc Welding (SFA) in 2024, which reduced production time significantly, improved weld strength, and allowed for weight reduction. Lessons from SFA were then applied to robotic welding for the GR Kart, an entry-level racing kart, an application which Toyota states has helped lower production costs.