China’s Dongfeng Motors Deploys AI-Powered Humanoid Robot For Assembly Line

Automakers have long leaned on machinery to manage the heavy lifting in their production facilities. But as technology advances, equipment is evolving into smarter and more complex forms.

A recent addition to this (somewhat alarming) trajectory is a humanoid robot developed in China. This robot is poised to tackle delicate tasks like inspection, assembly, and logistics at one of Dongfeng’s automotive assembly plants.

More: Costly Union Contracts Could Push Automakers Towards Robot Workers

The industrial-grade humanoid robot will be provided by a Chinese company named Ubtech Technology, as per an arrangement with Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor. The latter, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motors, specializes in manufacturing commercial vehicles in the Guangxi region of China.

Ubtech’s robot goes under the name Walker S. It stands at 1.7 m (5 feet and 7 inches) tall and features similar proportions to a human worker. At the automotive factory, its responsibilities will span various tasks such as inspecting safety belts, testing door locks, assessing bodywork quality, refilling oil, and applying labels.

Additionally, it will have the capability to operate alongside other automated machinery for handling more intricate unmanned production scenarios.

As reported by IThome, the humanoid robot is equipped with 41 high-performance servo joints and a multitude of advanced sensors including force perception, vision, and hearing capabilities. These features enable it to monitor its surroundings and engage with both individuals and machinery.

According to the Chinese company, Walker S utilizes advanced “fusion control algorithms,” enabling it to communicate with the factory’s central system and transfer data back to it in real-time.

Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor / IThome

Lin Changbo, General Manager of Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, emphasized that Ubtech’s humanoid robot would be integrated with the latest AI technology to operate within the “smart” plant of Liuzhou. Changbo added that Walker S would undergo comprehensive training to provide “better solutions in more complex inspection, assembly, and logistics sites.”

At this point, it is unclear how many examples of the Walker S will be used in the production facilities and whether they will make any human workers redundant. Other companies that have already deployed similar robots in car factories include Tesla and BMW, while we have also seen the emergence of specialized robot dogs designed for various tasks beyond automotive production.

Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor