November 4th 2026

AI-powered robots take on welding inspection and correction at Toyota GR

Yaskawa Electric and Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) have jointly developed AI-driven autonomous robotic production technology based on insights gained from the motorsports-honed SFA (Sequence Freezing Arc-welding) technology. They began implementing it in September 2026 at the Gamagori GR Kart Workshop in Gamagori, Japan.

Welding process using AI-driven autonomous robots

GR competes in motorsport to develop its people and vehicles in extreme conditions, with the aim of applying the lessons learned to production cars. The announcement builds on this approach and follows an initiative that began in 2023, when Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda, also known as Morizo, visited the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team in Finland. During the visit, he learned that fabricating a roll cage on-site took between two and three weeks.

Yaskawa Electric and Toyota Gazoo Racing collaborated to develop SFA in 2024. In addition to significantly reducing production time, the method improves weld quality and strength and reduces weight. Roll cage production now takes only three days, and the method is playing a role in vehicles competing in the Super Taikyu Series.

Now the companies have developed AI-driven autonomous robot technology. Yaskawa Electric’s Motoman Next AI robot recognizes and assesses conditions such as frame-pipe gaps and temperature while welding, and autonomously performs post-weld quality checks and makes corrections. Practically applying this technology in GR Kart frame production has reduced GR Kart costs.

Toyota’s ‘automation with a human touch’ approach goes beyond basic automation by detecting irregularities, preventing defects from progressing along the production line and building quality into the manufacturing process. The latest initiative builds on this approach, with the aim of moving toward greater autonomy, where robots can manage the entire process, from identifying and assessing issues to making corrections. Yaskawa and GR will continue to refine the technology through repeated practical application.

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