What is the name of the production system pioneered by Toyota?

The production system pioneered by Toyota is the Toyota Production System (TPS). It is an integrated management and manufacturing system developed by Toyota to organize production, logistics, supplier relationships, and quality improvement.

TPS took shape after World War II, especially through the work of Toyota engineer Taiichi Ohno and executive Eiji Toyoda. Its two best-known pillars are just-in-time production—making only what is needed, when it is needed—and jidoka, often translated as automation with a human touch. Jidoka allows a process to stop when a defect appears, preventing errors from moving downstream.

The system emphasizes eliminating waste, smoothing production, standardized work, employee involvement, and continuous improvement, or kaizen. Its methods later influenced the broader idea of lean manufacturing.

A common mix-up is treating TPS as simply an assembly-line technique or as a synonym for low inventory. Low inventory is an outcome; the deeper system depends on problem-solving, quality at the source, respect for workers, and processes designed to expose problems rather than hide them.