A group of researchers at the University of Tokyo, including one who consults for Toyota, believe that the future of autonomous vehicles may involve a humanoid robot behind the wheel. The research centers around a “musculoskeletal humanoid” robot named Musashi, which has been trained to operate a small electric car through a test track. They have plans to enhance both the robot and the accompanying software, aiming to create a next-generation humanoid capable of more complex and reliable driving tasks.