Putting its approach of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars into action, GR competes in motorsports to hone both people and cars in extreme environments and feed the insights gained back into production vehicles. Today’s announcement is an element of this and stems from an initiative that began in 2023, when Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda, aka Morizo, visited the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team in Finland and confirmed that on-site roll cage fabrication took two to three weeks.

Yaskawa Electric and GR collaborated to develop SFA, a new arc welding technology, 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 has started to play a role in vehicles competing in the Super Taikyu Series.

Further advancing their expertise, Yaskawa Electric and GR have worked to develop AI-driven autonomous robot technology. Yaskawa Electric’s Motoman NEXT^*2 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” goes beyond simple automation. It detects irregularities, prevents defects from being passed down the line, and builds quality into the process. The effort announced today adds to this approach and represents a challenge to evolve toward autonomy, in which robots handle everything from recognition and assessment to correction. Yaskawa and GR intend to continue refining this new technology through repeated practical application.

GR plans to expand its philosophy of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars beyond cars themselves to encompass manufacturing technologies and continue leveraging insights honed on the front lines of motorsports. It is committed to addressing frontline challenges while striving to realize manufacturing in which both people and machines can fully demonstrate their respective strengths.