Mitsubishi has joined a growing list of automakers worldwide that are moving to build their own robots.

The Japanese automaker is partnering with Tokyo-based Highlanders Inc. to mass-produce humanoid robots, according to a Sunday report by The Mainichi.

Highlanders, a startup that spun out of the University of Tokyo in 2023, develops general-purpose humanoid and quadruped robots using domestically sourced parts.

“There is no company (in Japan) that can compete with global companies in the realm of physical AI,” said Highlanders CEO Hiroya Masuoka. “We want to take a step forward.”

Mitsubishi targets 1,000 robots a month by 2027

Mitsubishi plans to use its manufacturing expertise in the partnership, with a goal of reaching production capacity of 1,000 humanoid robots per month before the end of 2027, according to the report.

The company cited labor shortages as one reason for the move. It also plans to deploy humanoid robots on an engine manufacturing line at its factory in Kyoto, Japan.

“In Japan, we are the ‘leadoff hitter’ in mass producing’ humanoid robots, said Mitsubishi Motors CEO Takao Kato.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the partnership earlier this month.

Highlanders agreed to work with Mitsubishi to develop robots for use in the automaker’s facilities. In turn, Mitsubishi Motors’ Kyoto Plant will be used to mass-produce Highlanders’ robots.

The announcement said Mitsubishi Motors already holds a stake in Highlanders and plans to make additional investments in the future.

The deal also places a Japanese automaker in a competitive field that already includes Hyundai, Tesla, BYD, Xiaomi, and XPeng, all of which have moved to put walking robots on their own assembly lines. For Mitsubishi, the arrangement combines factory-floor deployment with production planning in one partnership, showing how automakers are increasingly treating robotics as part of core manufacturing rather than a separate experiment.

Automakers are investing heavily in humanoid robots

Xiaomi is already testing humanoid robots in its car production facility. On July 15, Cryptopolitan reported that Xiaomi’s robots reached a 98% success rate, just 1% below the performance level of human workers.

The tech giant plans to deploy “a large number” of humanoid robots in its factories over the next five years.

Another Chinese automaker, XPeng, plans to launch its humanoids globally by next year as part of its goal of becoming a “physical AI company.”

South Korea’s Hyundai chose the acquisition route. In July, the group agreed to buy SoftBank’s remaining 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics for an estimated 500 billion won, or about $338 million, Cryptopolitan reported.

With full control of the robotics company, Hyundai intends to deploy Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot Atlas at its Metaplant America electric vehicle complex in Georgia starting in 2028.