GMO deploys Tokyo maintenance van for humanoid robot repairs

GMO Internet Group is deploying a robot maintenance van in Tokyo this month to respond to humanoids operated by its GMO AI & Robotics Trading business, known as GMO AIR. The company describes the vehicle as Japan’s first “humanoid ambulance”, a claim not independently verified in the available reporting.

The van carries engineers, diagnostic equipment, repair tools and spare parts. If a robot cannot be repaired at the roadside, a replacement humanoid can be deployed while the faulty unit is taken to GMO’s Humanoid Lab in Shibuya.

One vehicle is currently stationed at GMO’s Tokyo headquarters. Dispatches are limited to GMO AIR-operated humanoids and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, meaning the service is not presented as a public response network for all robots.

GMO AIR developed the service after damaged humanoids had to be removed for repairs, causing interruptions to operations. The company has said replacement machines could help limit those disruptions as its robotics activities expand.

GMO AIR resells humanoids made by Unitree and other manufacturers rather than building its own machines. It is also trialling Unitree robots as baggage handlers at Haneda Airport with JAL Ground Service, reportedly through 2028.

Engadget reported that GMO sees field-repair capability as preparation for wider humanoid use. The company’s maintenance operation comes as Japan pursues longer-term ambitions for its robotics industry and global market share, although the source does not specify the van’s repair capacity, operating hours or service area beyond Tokyo.