At Xiaomi Factory, Humanoid Robots Assist in Assembling a New Car Every 76 Seconds

Humanoid robots, resembling humans, are reportedly beginning work at Xiaomi’s factory to produce electric vehicles, as stated by Xiaomi President Liu Weibing in an interview on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. “At Xiaomi’s car factory, a new car emerges from the assembly line every 76 seconds. These two humanoid robots can keep up with our work pace,” the Xiaomi executive continued. They handle tasks such as fitting nuts or moving items. These tasks are claimed to be completed to 90 per cent, in just three hours. “The biggest challenge in integrating robots into our production line is ensuring they can match our work speed,” Lu Weibing told CNBC. For Xiaomi, the use of these robots aims to enhance the company’s productivity. Moreover, humanoid robots are considered capable of replacing human roles in certain jobs and can “complete work that humans cannot do.” Nevertheless, the deployment of these robots is still in the early trial stage. “The robots on our production line do not perform official work; they are more like intern workers,” Weibing said. Regardless of these claims, this effort highlights the speed of Chinese companies in investing and enhancing their capabilities in the robotics field. In particular, many Chinese companies are developing this technology, and some have recently conducted initial public offerings (IPOs), such as Deep Robotics. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets also predict that the global humanoid robot market will reach $9 trillion by 2050, with 60 per cent originating from China. Weibing believes it is still too early to project the humanoid robot market, although he is optimistic about the business. Chinese-made humanoid robots are advancing. Previously, these robots went viral for participating in marathons or swimming, but now their capabilities are far more impressive. Chinese humanoid robots can now perform sword dancing, kung fu moves, and fluid somersaults. These feats were showcased at the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television programme during Lunar New Year celebrations.