Dongfeng Liuzhou Motors to Deploy Humanoid Robots in Factory

A Chinese humanoid robot company, UBTech, has announced its plan to deploy humanoid robots in an automobile factory, marking a significant advancement in the application of China's humanoid robot technology within the manufacturing sector. The announcement, made on Tuesday to the Global Times, reveals that UBTech's industrial humanoid robot, Walker S, will be utilized at Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor for various tasks, including inspecting seat belts, door locks, and headlight covers, as well as performing oil filling, front axle subassembly, and material picking. The primary goal of this deployment is to alleviate humans from repetitive and monotonous work.

These robots will work in conjunction with traditional automation equipment to facilitate flexible unmanned production in complex scenarios, as well as undertake more challenging tasks such as inspections and logistics. UBTech's approach emphasizes adapting and improving their robots based on user needs and feedback, indicating potential diverse applications beyond automobile manufacturing, including computer, communication, and consumer electronics (3C) factories.

UBTech plans to commence small-scale manufacturing of these robots by the end of the year, with the objective of achieving mass production by 2025 or 2026. According to a representative from UBTech, humanoid robots are envisioned to primarily handle repetitive, high-risk, and technically challenging tasks to enhance efficiency and ensure human safety. Moreover, due to their human-like attributes, these robots could also perform service roles such as hospital nurses or restaurant waiters, addressing the emotional needs of patients or customers.

Liu Gang, director of the Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, previously noted that the integration of humanoid robots with industrial and manufacturing sectors is likely to be the largest application scenario in China. Currently, the industrial version of the humanoid robot costs between $40,000 to $50,000, whereas an experienced worker in a vehicle factory assembly line earns approximately 180,000 to 200,000 yuan ($25,200 to $28,000) annually. The expectation is that if costs are reduced further, these robots could potentially replace a larger number of workers.

In 2023, China's humanoid robot industry saw significant growth, expanding to a scale of 3.91 billion yuan, an increase of 85.7 percent year-on-year. The sector is projected to maintain its rapid growth trajectory through 2024 and 2025, with the market size anticipated to exceed 20 billion yuan by 2026, as reported by the China Center For Information Industry Development.