Chinese companies introduce humanoid robots to improve efficiency

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on December 19, Chinese factories actively use humanoid robots. Automakers such as BYD have begun to introduce robots developed by domestic startups. This move aims to prepare for the domestic labor shortage problem. The further upgrading of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that leverages the power of the mind will become a key factor in promoting the formal popularization of humanoid robots

BYD's factory in Hunan Province has introduced the humanoid robot Walker S1. This is a product developed by Ubiquitous Technology Company

When the automatic guided transport vehicle arrived, Walker S1 picked up the box with the parts on the ground and walked up to the automatic guided transport vehicle to load the goods. In order to officially introduce humanoid robots in the future, BYD has started recruiting research and development talents

Humanoid robots are not only capable of performing light physical labor. According to Tan Min, Chief Brand Officer of Ubiquitous, humanoid robots are more efficient than humans in using cameras for quality management and other aspects

NIO's factory in Anhui Province has also introduced Ubiquitous robots. Some robots walk around the car, using cameras to check the car lock and pulling the seat belt by hand to check for any imperfections. Some robots use their fingers to pinch the brand logo onto the hood and use tools to secure it in place

Some robots play a role that is closer to that of humans. Jike is a high-end electric vehicle brand of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. At its factory in Zhejiang Province, robots open the car door and get into the car, making a sound to confirm whether the voice AI installed is running normally

Tan Min pointed out that about 70% of factory work is done by existing robots, the remaining 30% is done by humans, and in the future, humanoid robots will take on 20%. It is reported that manual work accounts for about 10% of the overall workload in equipment operation and factory management

As of October, Ubiquitous has received approximately 500 orders for humanoid robots

The characteristic of humanoid robots is that they can perform various tasks. It also has convenience, allowing for changes in configuration and work content based on varying levels of workload without altering the factory layout

According to the prediction of research institutions, the sales volume of Chinese humanoid robots will increase from 4000 in 2024 to more than 270000 in 2030

The reason why large manufacturers actively promote the use of humanoid robots is due to the worsening of China's aging population with low birth rates

Yushu Technology Company, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, launched the humanoid robot H1 in August 2023 and G1 in May 2024. NIO has introduced H1 for use in areas such as component handling

However, in order for humanoid robots to truly achieve popularization, further improvements in functionality are needed. According to Chen Li, co-founder of Yushu Technology, currently robots can only replace a small part of human work, and the cost of robots is higher than that of labor

The current issue is that the AI technology used in humanoid robots is not yet mature. Foxconn Technology Group, a subsidiary of Taiwan Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., tried out the robot at its factory in Chinese Mainland. Foxconn expects robots to be able to perform assembly and welding operations, but robots "cannot yet complete complex tasks"

Ubiquitous and Yushu Technology effectively utilize large language models. If factories introduce humanoid robots for more operations and usage time, AI learning data will increase, and it will gradually become possible to complete more difficult tasks. Humanoid robots may trigger significant changes in the manufacturing industry in the coming years