Nissan Launches AI‑Powered Factory in Tochigi to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Production

Nissan has unveiled its first AI‑powered, robotics‑driven production line at the Tochigi plant in Japan, marking a significant milestone in the automaker’s push toward sustainable manufacturing.

The new line features large articulated robotic arms that precisely join car bodies to chassis, perform high‑pressure cleaning of body panels, and secure frames with pinpoint accuracy.

Human operators stationed alongside the assembly line monitor the robots in real time, using smartphone‑wristbands that pull vehicle data from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors embedded throughout the facility.

Advanced inspection modules and smart tooling are integrated along the chassis and body stations, enabling continuous quality checks without halting production.

Tochigi will be the first Nissan site to adopt this intelligent factory model and is slated to start building the all‑electric Nissan Ariya crossover before the end of the company’s current fiscal year in spring 2025.

“The automotive industry is in a period of great change, and solving the global challenge of climate change is urgent,” said Hideyuki Sakamoto, Nissan’s executive vice‑president for manufacturing and supply chain management. ‘We see this as an opportunity to strengthen monozukuri—manufacturing, a core part of our DNA—by developing and applying innovative technologies to overcome the challenges we face.’

By leveraging autonomy, Nissan aims to slash carbon emissions in line with its 2050 carbon‑neutrality target and to address looming labor shortages driven by Japan’s aging population.

For more information, visit Nissan Japan.