Still waiting on a new Toyota? Why not take a virtual factory tour to pass the time

Are you stuck in the queue for a new Toyota – with some customers waiting up to two years?

There’s now at least some insight into the delays – and the complexity of car production.

Toyota, the world’s top-selling car manufacturer, operates more than 65 factories around the world, which assembled in excess of 10.6 million cars in 2022 alone.

Even with this scale, however, Toyota customers worldwide are still subject to long wait times on some models as the Japanese car giant continues to ramp-up production to meet customer demand.

Toyota Australia says local customers wanting to get into a new RAV4 Hybrid or LandCruiser 300 Series may be waiting up to two years for their car to be delivered – depending on the model grade, colour and trim.

To help pass the time, Toyota has produced a website that showcases an interactive factory tour. The five critical processes of metal stamping, frame welding, painting, assembly and final inspection are detailed, with some of the more process-oriented explanations of Toyota’s JIT (Just-In-Time) production system also explained.

The sections incorporate videos and explanations of how cars are built, with the new Crown and Prius models heavily featured in the material.

Use of automation and computerised management allow Toyota’s car factories to produce multiple models on the same line, with production showcasing some 4000 welds needed to create the basic form of the car, then a further 500 robotised welds needed to strengthen it.

The depth of information is impressive, more than enough for any school project or rainy-day exploration into the modern automotive manufacturing process.

You can see how paint is applied, or where specific components are added in the assembly process. While the video may not occupy all of your two-year wait time, the series should keep you busy for a few hours at least.

Take the Toyota Virtual Factory Tour here.

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