Toyota has long been considered a model for productivity, mainly thanks to its Toyota Production System (TPS), which emphasizes lean manufacturing, continuous improvement (Kaizen) and a strong focus on efficiency. This model was subsequently taken up by many manufacturers who adapted it to their own taste.
The specificity of the Toyota method
But Toyota’s approach has always been marked by frugality, simplicity and a minimalist approach to processes, using only necessary resources and focusing on reducing waste.
With digitalization, which all companies have embarked on, the Japanese manufacturer has been more cautious and selective in the integration of digital technologies. This careful approach aligns with its philosophy of avoiding overproduction, overengineering or unnecessary complexity – fundamental principles of lean production. Toyota’s preference for measured technology adoption ensures that digital solutions are aligned with their core objectives and are not simply adopted as a fad.
Toyota facing “neo-industrial” competitors from digital
Contrary to what is sometimes caricatured, the Toyota model is not “anti-digital” but more “frugal and human-centered”. It is characterized by the following elements:
- 1. Selective digital adoption of proven solutions: Rather than rushing into widespread digitalization, Toyota is taking a more pragmatic approach: deploying technologies that provide proven value in proven cases, such as robots, automation and artificial intelligence (AI), where these technologies make a contribution to production objectives. For example, Toyota has adopted collaborative robots (cobots) to assist human workers, but not to completely replace them.
- 2. A human-centered approach: Toyota emphasizes the importance of people-led processes, human creativity and ensuring that processes remain simple and controlled for the operators who implement them. The Toyota production system is a system where machines help people, not the other way around. “This implementation of kaizen on work is the bedrock of jidoka. It doesn’t matter how much machines, robots, or IT excel; they can’t evolve any further on their own. Only humans can implement kaizen for the sake of evolution.”
- 3. Frugality and environmental impact: Toyota’s frugality is not only about cost reduction, but also about the impact on the environment. Digital solutions are being scrutinized for their environmental impact and their ability to reduce waste. For example, Toyota has implemented energy management solutions in its factories to minimize carbon footprint and save energy, while remaining at the forefront of productivity.
- 4. Avoid risks linked to uncontrolled technological disruptions: While some more digitalized competitors may achieve greater speed or agility on certain processes, Toyota’s approach is to avoid common pitfalls of digitalization, such as over-reliance on automation or unnecessary complexity of processes. systems. Their focus on continuous improvement (Kaizen) helps them stay ahead without needing to fully embrace the “all-digital” mentality of competitors like Tesla or Volkswagen.
If the approach has so far given excellent long-term results, the debate between Toyota’s “frugal and incremental” approach and Tesla’s more “technological and radical” approach is regularly reopened. Recently the debate focused on Tesla’s “gigacasting” approach, giant molding machines that make it possible to form very large automobile parts in a single piece. Machines, which simplify assembly but have very high costs and which pose an environmental issue, since in the event of repair, it is no longer a small part that must be changed but an enormous block. We still lack perspective to know if this approach will be enough to overthrow the Toyota model.
To go further:
–The basics of the Toyota production system
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
