Humanoid Robots Enter Factories as Early as 2025!

Technological Developments

BMW is collaborating with the robotics manufacturer Figure AI, while Mercedes-Benz is testing the use of humanoid robots from the US manufacturer Apptronik.

Tesla plans to launch its own robot, Optimus, in 2025. The Chinese electric car manufacturer Nio has been using humanoid robots of the Walker S type from UBTech Robotics in its production lines since 2023.

The use of robotics in automotive production is, of course, not new. Over the years, car manufacturers have continuously automated the manufacturing process. The machines used so far are articulated robots for assembly and for painting or welding tasks, as well as cobots (collaborative robots). They are programmed to perform a specific task.

When humanoid robots are introduced into factories, they will take on a wide range of different tasks, including those previously reserved for humans. Humanoid robots have the potential to take over dangerous, repetitive, or monotonous tasks.

Historical developments date back to the 1960s, with milestones such as the Wabot project in 1967, the Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics, and the Optimus robot from Tesla. Humanoid robots are no longer science fiction but reality.

With their human-like abilities and intelligent control through artificial intelligence (AI), they have the potential to fundamentally change the manufacturing and service industries. Comparable to the revolution brought about by computers and smartphones, these robots could become the next disruptive technology that profoundly impacts our working world and lives.

Tobias Bock, Senior Project Manager at the management consultancy Horváth, recently predicted that humanoid robots could surpass human abilities in movement speed, flexibility, and fine motor skills by 2030.

Massive Production Starting in 2025?

According to a report by the Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics) from December 2023, the Chinese government plans to begin mass production in 2025 and integrate it into industrial manufacturing by 2027. In this context, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published guidelines to promote the development of humanoid robots.

Tobias Bock also predicts that mass production of humanoid robots could begin in 2025 in his Horváth market analysis Humanoide Roboter in Operations. This could lead to a reduction in production costs and an increase in efficiency. Horváth estimates that production costs could drop from an average of 80,000 euros to 48,000 euros by 2030.

Technical Challenges and Required Expertise

The goal is to create autonomous, bipedal, and versatile robots. To achieve this, software solutions must be developed that enable balance, navigation, perception, and interaction with the physical world.

Experts in fields such as deep learning, computer vision, motion planning, control, mechanics, and general software development are essential to meet these complex technical challenges.

Maintenance and Costs

In addition to the acquisition costs, Horváth estimates that these machines would require annual maintenance costs of around 4,000 euros. This amount is relatively low compared to the promised performance of the robots.

By 2030, these units are expected to surpass human abilities in terms of movement speed, flexibility, and precision.

Experts believe that the return on investment (ROI) per robot could be achieved in less than 1.36 years, making the use of these robots economically very attractive.

Horváth Study Summary

Technological Development: The study highlights progress in robotics, particularly efforts to develop humanoid robots for industrial applications. These robots are expected to be mass-produced from 2025 and surpass human abilities in movement, flexibility, and fine motor skills by 2030. They are set to take over dangerous and monotonous tasks, potentially improving working conditions for humans.

Economic Impact: With mass production starting in 2025 and the associated cost reductions, humanoid robots could find widespread application in the industry. Acquisition costs are expected to drop from an initial 80,000 euros to 48,000 euros by 2030. This could lead to a reduction in production costs and an increase in efficiency.

Job Market: The demand for specialized engineers and experts will rise to tackle complex technical challenges. This could lead to new job fields and training opportunities, while humanoid robots could take over more than 50 percent of manual tasks in production.

Long-term Perspective: By 2030, humanoid robots could fundamentally change industrial work practices and take over more than half of manual tasks in production. This could have far-reaching social and economic impacts, including relieving highly skilled workers and closing personnel gaps in physically demanding jobs.

The analysis “Humanoide Roboter in Operations” is available for download here: https://hrvth.com/3TZd61I