Toyota Signs 3-Year Deal for 100 Agility Robotics Digit Humanoids
Toyota Motor North America has entered a 3-year deployment agreement with Agility Robotics to operate 100 Digit humanoid robots at its Georgetown, Kentucky and San Antonio, Texas manufacturing plants. The agreement, announced April 3, 2026, represents the largest confirmed real-world humanoid robot deployment in automotive manufacturing.
The Digit Humanoid Platform
Agility Robotics' Digit is a 1.75 m, 65 kg bipedal robot designed for logistics and light manipulation tasks in human-centric environments. Key specs:
- Payload: 16 kg
- Battery life: 4 hours operational, hot-swappable batteries for continuous operation
- Locomotion: Walks on two legs, can navigate stairs and uneven surfaces
- Hands: Dexterous 4-finger manipulators with tactile sensing
- Onboard compute: NVIDIA Jetson Orin + custom Agility AI chip for real-time motion planning
Agility Robotics has transitioned from a research-adjacent company to production — its Oregon RoboFab facility is rated at 10,000 Digit units/year.
Deployment Applications at Toyota
The 100 Digits will handle three specific task categories:
- Tote and bin handling: Moving empty containers between assembly line stations and replenishment areas — replacing forklift-dependent logistics
- Part kitting: Assembling component kits from warehouse pick locations for line-side delivery
- Quality inspection support: Carrying finished components to inspection stations, positioning items for camera-based QC systems
Toyota's internal analysis estimated these tasks currently require 340 full-time logistics workers across both facilities during peak production. The Digit deployment is structured to augment, not replace, human workers — Toyota has publicly committed that displaced logistics hours will be redeployed to skilled assembly roles.
Economics of the Deal
Agility Robotics operates on a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. Toyota pays a monthly per-robot fee that includes the hardware, maintenance, software updates, and on-site Agility support staff. The pricing has not been publicly disclosed, but industry analysts estimate RaaS contracts for Digit run $3,500–$5,500/month per robot.
At the midpoint ($4,500/month × 100 robots): $5.4 million/year for both facilities. For context, total labor cost for 340 logistics workers (including benefits) at Toyota's compensation levels would exceed $25 million/year.
Broader Industry Significance
This deployment matters beyond Toyota and Agility. It represents the first large-scale, publicly confirmed commitment from a major automaker to humanoid robots in production — not a pilot, not a showcase, but a contracted 3-year operational deployment.
BMW has Figure AI robots in its Spartanburg plant. Mercedes-Benz is running an Apollo humanoid pilot with Apptronik. Hyundai owns Boston Dynamics. Toyota's Agility commitment establishes that humanoid logistics in automotive factories is transitioning from experiment to standard practice.
Timeline
- Q2 2026: First 20 Digits deployed at Georgetown facility
- Q3 2026: Full 100 units operational across both sites
- Q4 2026: Performance review triggering potential expansion to 200+ units
*Source: Agility Robotics press release, Reuters Automotive, The Robot Report*