One of the things I remember from the plant tour at the facility in Toyota City was being impressed with the logistics they had to enable a heterogenous assembl

One of the things I remember from the plant tour at the facility in Toyota City was being impressed with the logistics they had to enable a heterogenous assembly line. One car rolled off every minute, but they were different models with different options. Most of the assembly steps were performed by humans, but all the parts needed for each step, which differed based on model/options, always arrived at the right station at the right time. There was a massive computer-controlled overhead distribution system that shuttled parts (including large/heavy parts like engines) around the factory that was damn impressive. With as many steps as were needed to assemble a car, that system was at least as impressive as the robotic welding arms and other fully-mechanized assembly steps. Automation isn't necessarily just about replacing people. It can also be used to make the people you have a lot more productive.