Mitsubishi is joining the rapidly growing ranks of robot builders, with plans to build up to 1,000 of its Highlanders humanoid robots per month at one of the automaker’s ICE engine plants in Kyoto – and if the plan comes together, the automaker could begin mass-producing its new worker-bots as early as next year. While the normals probably think of Mitsubishi as primarily an also-ran automaker, the company is recognized as a global leader in the automation and controls space – and it’s into that space that the company is planning to inject thousands of new industrial robots. The humanoids, co-developed by Mitsubishi and Highlanders, a new startup from the University of Tokyo, will explore the development of the humanoid robots for use at Mitsubishi’s manufacturing facilities first, even putting them to work making themselves at the company’s former Kyoto engine plant according to a memo of understanding (MOU) signed by the two companies last month. “Our collaboration with Highlanders represents a challenge aimed at building a new industrial foundation in which humans and robots work together,” explains Takao Kato, chairman of the board and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors. “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.” Advertisement - scroll for more content The robots are everywhere Highlanders and humanoids, by Mitsubishi. In addition to being closely related to the electric vehicle space – from battery tech, servo/motor tech, automation tech, AI tech, etc. – the humanoid robot space features a lot of the same players, too. The difference is that, while companies like Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Tesla were taking very different approaches to early EVs with the iMiEV, LEAF, and Model S, respectively, there isn’t that much variety in the humanoid robot space. They’re all trying to build basically the same thing, in other words. And, once you get past the hype and hyperbole, some of them (cough, Hyundai, cough) are clearly ahead of others. Mitsubishi Highlanders’ flagship humanoid platform, dubbed “HL Human,” features a “19-degree-of-freedom” (DOF) body equipped with high-output electric actuators that the company claims enable human-like movement. The robot is designed to autonomously perform complex industrial tasks using AI-powered perception, motion planning, and natural-language interaction with its human co-workers, who will help train it to do practical work in manufacturing, logistics, construction, and disaster response fields where labor shortages are becoming increasingly severe. Cue the commenters who think “just pay people more” would (or even should) convince more people to rush into radioactive spaces and volunteer to get black lung. SOURCE | IMAGES: Mitsubishi Motors, Interesting Engineering. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.