Nissan Implements AI for Worker Safety in Factories

Nissan’s AI cameras track factory workers, enhancing safety and efficiency while saving millions in health costs.

In Canton, Mississippi, the Nissan manufacturing plant is integrating AI-powered cameras to monitor how employees move during work hours. This innovative approach helps the automaker enhance worker safety while also cutting health and safety costs.

Victor Taylor, divisional vice president of manufacturing for the Americas at Nissan, emphasized that this initiative is not about job loss but rather about optimizing monotonous tasks that are burdensome for employees. “We’re not talking about job elimination,” he stated.

Nissan has joined several automakers in leveraging AI technology to improve production processes, including increasing initial product quality and reducing the time taken for vehicle development.

Chi Amaechi, a Nissan process engineer involved in rolling out the initiative, explained that the facility has established a “golden cycle” for each job role. This cycle defines the ideal procedures for performing tasks, detailing the correct sequence for assembling vehicle components, the expected duration, and safe body movements that minimize repetitive strain. She demonstrated the system’s capabilities, stating, “What it does is it monitors body angles proactively, identifying joints to recognize when a worker bends into a position beyond safety limits.”

This AI technology can signal when an employee maintains an unsafe posture or bends excessively, alerting managers to potential risks. Supervisors can then provide guidance to workers, adjust task assignments, or redesign workstations as necessary.

Initially, Nissan aimed to boost manufacturing efficiency and aid in training new employees. Taylor noted that ergonomic benefits were a surprising bonus that surfaced along the way: “We weren’t originally looking for that; it just kind of showed itself as the biggest win.”

The implementation of this system is also part of Nissan’s strategy to address a changing workforce, as many long-time employees are nearing retirement. Taylor remarked, “We have employees that have been in the plant 20, 30-some odd years, and they want to retire… You can’t replace 20, 30 years of know-how.”

Early involvement of workers through safety committees played a crucial role in the project, which helped ease fears that the technology could jeopardize jobs. Workers became more supportive after Nissan framed the initiative as a safety and training tool, with reports of positive changes arising from the new system.

Overall, the AI implementation in Canton has reportedly yielded around $34 million in safety and health-related savings. Taylor mentioned that while the current deployment is exclusive to the Canton plant, there are plans to implement it at the Smyrna, Tennessee facility and assess its applicability in powertrain operations.

Nissan’s recent years have been challenging, but early signs of recovery are emerging, especially following leadership changes in April 2025. The automaker recently recorded its first quarterly net profit in two years, benefiting from cost-cutting measures and robust sales in both the US and Japan.

During this recent quarter, US sales saw an increase of nearly 10%, leading Nissan to position itself as America’s fastest-growing mainstream car brand, according to company statements. This advancement showcases the automaker’s resilience as it moves forward amidst industry shifts.