A subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Corporation has signed a strategic agreement with Ubtech Robotics, a leading smart service and humanoid robot company. As a result, Dongfeng will implement Ubtech’s humanoid robots into its vehicle manufacturing processes, joining a new era of next-generation mobility being assembled by next-generation robotic technology.
Dongfeng Motor Corporation has operated since the late 1960s and is the smallest of the “big four” Chinese state-owned automakers behind SAIC, Changan Auto, and FAW Group.
Since the Chinese government supports Dongfeng’s products, we don’t hear much about them here in the States, but we have covered the OEM briefly in the past, including its Hummer EV knockoff that debuted in 2022.
Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co., Ltd is a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Corporation that has been building vehicles just as long as its parent company, most recently crossovers and MPVs under the Fengxing nameplate, as well as vans and other vehicles for Lingzhi and Jingyi.
To aid in producing those Chinese vehicles, Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor has enlisted the help of Ubtech Robotics – a company founded in 2012 that currently offers a wide array of futuristic robots that can clean, deliver items, offer fitness training, and even companionship.
Dongfeng’s focus, however, is on one of Ubtech’s most advanced models – a humanoid robot called the Walker S, which is already helping build EVs for Chinese automakers like NIO.
Dongfeng to deploy Ubtech’s humanoid robots in China
Per a report by Car News China, Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor and Ubtech Robotics have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to deploy the latter’s industrial-grade humanoid robots across the former’s assembly lines in China.
The Walker S robots will be set with manufacturing tasks such as safety belt inspection, door lock tests, body quality checks, oil filling, and label applications. The report states that the humanoid robots will work in tandem with traditional automated manufacturing equipment to handle complex scenarios without human interference.
The Ubtech Walker S robots are 1.7 meters (5.57 feet) tall and equipped with a “fusion control” algorithm that enables real-time communication with factory systems and data sharing. The robots operate via 41 high-performance servo joints alongside advanced sensory capabilities that can perceive their environment and interact with objects and people.
Through its new partnership, Dongfeng Motor looks to streamline its production practices using cutting-edge robot technology while simultaneously promoting its capabilities as the way of the future in automotive production.
We’ve seen other automakers like Tesla introduce its own humanoid robot called Optimus, hinting at an impending future we hope won’t go the route of the T-1000s in the Terminator series. So far, we’re safe – most robots being used today are complex but offer simple tasks such as entertaining children, mowing your lawn, or delivering food and groceries.
The Tesla Optimus and Ubtech’s Walker S, however, are some of the most advanced humanoid robots we’ve seen alongside everything Boston Robotics has going on. This technology could serve several helpful use cases in delivering around-the-clock EV production without human error. What a time to be alive.
Check out the Walker S bot in action in the video below:
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