Toyoda Gosei Company, an affiliate of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced plans to build a new plant in Guangdong province, China, to produce steering wheels complete with airbags, to meet growing local demand.
The new factory would be built in Foshan by Toyoda Gosei (Foshan) Auto Parts Company, a direct subsidiary of Toyoda Gosei Group.
Construction of the plant was set to start this month with completion in mid-2023.
It would initially employ 280 people and feature smart technology including artificial intelligence, collaborative robots and autonomous vehicles to maximise efficiency.
The company said: “To contribute to carbon neutrality, the plant will use energy saving production equipment and renewable energy including solar panels. By 2030 the plant will emit 50% less CO2 emissions compared with conventional equipment.”
Toyoda Gosei has two other manufacturing subsidiaries in China, Tianjin Toyoda Gosei and Toyoda Gosei (Zhangziagang).