Toyota Deploys Digit Humanoids in Canada

Three Digit robots just earned a full-time shift at Toyota Canada.

Production data shows a year-long pilot at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) validated Digit’s ability to move bins and load/unload totes in a manufacturing-adjacent workflow. After that proof-of-technology phase, the automaker has committed to deploying seven more humanoids and expanding use cases beyond the initial test. Integration teams report the plan hinges on Digit handling repetitive material-handling tasks while human workers focus on supervision and exception management.

TMMC, Toyota’s largest manufacturing operation outside Japan, runs two plant campuses in Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario. The operation produced more than 535,000 vehicles in 2025 and employs upwards of 8,500 people as it gears up to build the sixth generation of the RAV4 at a $1.1 billion investment. The decision to scale Digit follows positive signals from a year of onsite validation, with Toyota executives framing the move as a way to improve the team member experience and lift operational efficiency on the line.

What makes this deployment notable is not a flashy demo, but a clear pathway to deployment. The pilot involved three Digits across distinct phases—development, proof-of-technology, and on-site operation—and the parties say they’ll extend the pilot’s footprint by adding seven more robots to handle totes from an automated tugger line. As Toyota scales, the company will gauge additional use cases to justify broader automation and potential future expansion.

From a practitioner’s lens, there are two hard truths that this kind of deployment crystallizes. First, the real work happens in integration, not in the robot’s first appearance. Floor-space reallocation, dedicated power provisions, network bandwidth, and safety measures must align with existing material-handling systems. Second, the economics hinge on more than the robot’s price tag. ROI hinges on training hours, maintenance needs, and the cost of keeping a mixed workforce—humans handling the exceptions, maintenance, and quality checks—operating smoothly alongside autonomous peers.

Integration teams report the plan’s success will depend on how well Digit can don and doff within the tugger-driven workflow, and how quickly maintenance teams can service grippers and sensors without interrupting production. Floor supervisors confirm that the Digits’ motion aligns with a demanding schedule, but they caution that uptime will depend on robust preventive maintenance, spare-part availability, and updates to the control software. ROI documentation reveals that the expected payback will rely on sustained gains in material flow, reduced manual handling, and improved worker experience on the factory floor.

Industry observers note that, even with humanoids, the equation isn’t about “kill the labor cost” but about reallocating labor to higher-value tasks. In Toyota’s case, operators will likely shift toward oversight, quality checks, and exception handling—areas where human judgment remains essential. This aligns with a broader pattern in advanced manufacturing: robots handle high-frequency, low-variability tasks, while people shoulder problem-solving, process improvement, and neurodiverse decisions in real time.

Hidden costs vendors rarely advertise up front include the cost of reconfiguring workflows, ensuring cross-plant data integration with manufacturing execution Systems, and training teams across shifts. There’s also the risk of unforeseen maintenance demands and the need for ongoing cybersecurity considerations as robots become more connected to enterprise networks. Yet, the upside—if the seven-new-Digit rollout sustains performance—would be a measurable uplift in material-handling throughput and a demonstrable improvement in worker ergonomics and morale.

For Toyota, the delta may hinge on how quickly the Digits can scale beyond totes and into new, value-added tasks and how deeply the integration with the line’s schedules can be harmonized with human labor. Production data and internal forecasts will ultimately shape whether this six-figure million-dollar bet translates into a 12–18 month payback, but the company’s readiness to expand the Digit footprint signals a concrete commitment to turning pilots into deployments.

As Toyota continues to expand its RAV4 production, the lessons from Canada will be watched closely by other automakers and logistics operators: a year-long pilot that graduates to seven more robots signals intent and a disciplined approach to turning humanoids into a dependable, albeit still human-centric, production enhancement.

Sources

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada to deploy Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoids