Secret #1: Jidoka

Jidoka is a Japanese word that translates to ‘automation with a human touch’. We all know that all vehicles now are built by robots or automation but what Toyota does is the complete opposite. They start off by making every part of the vehicle through bare hands so that every part is perfect. Once the hand-built part is up to Toyota’s 100 percent specification, then it is put through an automated process. This ensures that every part is near 100 percent perfect. However, this is also the reason why Toyota has very limited optional extras. Because it takes so much time to build every part that Toyota has to limit their optional extras.

Once the part is perfected then they use the same part for many of their vehicles in their line-up. This ensures that the part is replicated and is perfect in all the vehicles. Also, this reduces the production cost of the part because they are manufacturing it for so many vehicles. For instance, the Toyota Fortuner and Innova Crysta share the same 2.7-litre petrol engine that produces 166 PS and 245 Nm in both vehicles. Earlier, both of them also used to share the same diesel engines too.

Secret #2: Kaizen

Kaizen is again a Japanese word that means ‘change for the better’. You might have studied it in school. In Toyota, any employee can stop the production line if he or she sees scope for improvement or a problem that should be fixed. An employee can be anyone irrespective of his position. This helps the manufacturer in catching the problem on the production line itself and helps to improve the manufacturing process. Toyota is always open to new suggestions that can help them perform more efficiently. Now, other big manufacturers have also started following the principle of Kaizen.

Secret #3: Function over form, and overengineering

Well, Toyota’s third secret has proven itself in every market. It is very difficult to kill a Toyota car. They last for many lakhs of kilometres. Toyota always overengineers their parts so that they can anything that the owner can throw at it. There are instances where people would have to sell their vehicle because of some issue but that issue was not related to mechanicals or the engine. People who buy a Toyota mostly use it for a very long time and because they are so overengineered, the maintenance cost of them is also less when compared to the competitors.