Toyota Could Be the Buyer for Google’s Robotic Dog

WALTHAM, MA - FEBRUARY 3: A BigDog robot at Boston Dynamics. Innovation Economy column on local robotics company called Boston Dynamics, which mainly does military contracting work - they just won a big contract this week from the Department of Defense. One of their robots, called BigDog, is being developed to help soldiers carry heavy equipment in the field -- it can literally follow a human being, walking across wet/sandy/rocky terrain, just like a dog would. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Photograph by Suzanne Kreiter — Boston Globe via Getty Images

Toyota Motor Corp is in talks to buy two robotics divisions from Google parent Alphabet Inc, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday.

The Japanese automaker is discussing an acquisition of Alphabet’s Boston Dynamics – known for the Cheetah, which is claimed to be the world’s fastest-legged robot – and Schaft, a venture that was led by two former Tokyo University professors, the report said.

Toyota declined to comment beyond saying the company and its research and development arm,Toyota Research Institute, “regularly discuss possible collaborations with outside partners to help create ever-better cars and to advance our R&D efforts.”