Tokyo, July 9, 2026 – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereinafter, Mitsubishi Motors) and Highlanders, Inc. (hereinafter, Highlanders), a startup originating from the University of Tokyo, today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in establishing a new industrial foundation where humans and robots work together. Under this MOU, the two companies will explore the joint development of humanoid robots for use at Mitsubishi Motors’ manufacturing facilities as well as mass production of Highlanders products at Mitsubishi Motors’ Kyoto Plant.
The environment surrounding Japan’s manufacturing industry is undergoing significant change, with labor shortages, increasingly sophisticated manufacturing operations, and the need for more flexible manufacturing systems emerging as major challenges. Mitsubishi Motors is committed to creating new value by collaborating with a diverse range of partners, including startups, to address these future challenges. Highlanders, meanwhile, aims to help solve workforce-related issues through humanoid robots and advanced robotics technologies, with the goal of realizing a society where humans and robots collaborate seamlessly. Through this partnership, the two companies seek to create new value in manufacturing and enhance industrial competitiveness.
As a first step in its joint development project with Highlanders, Mitsubishi Motors plans to utilize humanoid robots at its own manufacturing facilities. Through practical use, the company will accumulate operational data and know-how while deepening its expertise in the field of humanoid robotics and evaluating opportunities for future development and production.
In parallel, Mitsubishi Motors will leverage its proven expertise in mass-production engineering, quality assurance, durability and safety design, integrated mechatronics control technologies, and factory operations to explore the production of Highlanders’ humanoid robots. The companies will examine the feasibility of commencing production in early 2027 by utilizing currently unused buildings at Mitsubishi Motors’ Kyoto Plant.
This marks the first collaboration of its kind between an automotive manufacturer and a humanoid robotics developer involving mass production. By gaining an operational and manufacturing partner, Highlanders expects to accelerate the growth of both companies’ humanoid robotics businesses.
Mitsubishi Motors has already invested in Highlanders and plans to make additional investments in the future.
Moving forward, the two companies will continue their collaborative efforts toward realizing a society in which humans and robots work together.
Comment from Takao Kato, chairman of the board, representative executive officer and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
"Our collaboration with Highlanders represents a challenge aimed at building a new industrial foundation in which humans and robots work together. At the same time, it provides Mitsubishi Motors with a valuable opportunity to deepen our technological and business expertise in the field of humanoid robotics. By utilizing humanoid robots in our own manufacturing facilities and supporting the production of Highlanders products, we aim to leverage the outcomes of this collaboration to drive our growth and enhance corporate value.”
Comment from Hiroya Masuoka, representative director and CEO of Highlanders, Inc.
"At Highlanders, our mission is to address a wide range of industrial challenges through robotics and physical AI technologies. We believe that achieving mass production of domestically developed humanoid robots through this partnership with Mitsubishi Motors, which brings decades of manufacturing expertise, represents a significant step toward achieving this goal. Furthermore, deploying our robotics technologies within Mitsubishi Motors’ manufacturing operations will provide a valuable opportunity to drive technological advancement in our products. By maximizing the value of this collaboration, we look forward to expanding our mutually beneficial relationship with Mitsubishi Motors.”
