- Chinese automakers are introducing humanoid robots into their factories.
- Tesla rival Dongfeng Motor plans to use robots developed by Chinese company UBTECH to assemble and inspect quality of car parts.
- UBTECH’s “Walker S” robot is an Optimus rival that Elon Musk says could transform the global economy.
As Elon Musk continues to talk about Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus Prime, Chinese rivals are now turning their attention to equivalent robots to take on their American counterparts.
Auto giant Dongfeng Motor appears to have become the latest Chinese automaker to consider introducing humanoid robots onto its production lines, having signed a deal with Chinese robotics company UBTECH ROBOTICS.
A UBtech spokesperson told Business Insider that the Walker S robot worker will help free up human workers from repetitive tasks on factory floors.
Under UBTECH’s contract with Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, a subsidiary of Dongfeng, the Walker S robots will be used for seat belt and door lock inspection, quality checks and axle assembly.
Dongfeng Motor, which produces electric vehicles through its Voyah division, is the second Chinese automaker to confirm it is using UBTECH robots in car manufacturing.
Robot Revolution
Electric vehicle maker and Tesla rival NIO is also testing Ubtech’s technology, with Walker S working as an “intern” helping with car production.
A video posted to Ubtech’s YouTube channel shows Walker S going through quality checks, testing seat belts and installing car emblems.
A Nio spokesperson confirmed to BI that the company is actively exploring the use of humanoid robots in its factory assembly shops in the Chinese city of Hefei.
According to UBTECH, the 1.7m tall Walker S is Equipped with AI technology from Chinese technology giant Baidu, it can sense its surroundings in real time and recognize complex objects.
The robotics company also promotes several other humanoid robots on its website, including a panda-themed robot and Walker X, which it says is being used in Saudi Arabia’s futuristic desert city of Neom.
Optimus Competition
Chinese companies aren’t the only ones experimenting with robotics: Elon Musk has been working for years on a humanoid robot known as Optimus.
Tesla’s CEO is so excited about Optimus that he has appeared in videos of him folding shirts, picking up eggs, and doing yoga stretches.
During a recent Tesla earnings call, Musk said the AI android has the potential to transform the global economy, adding that Tesla plans to have Optimus in “limited production” in its factories by the end of the year, and to sell it externally by the end of 2025.
East Wind The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.
