Outlook Business Desk
Chinese multinational technology company Xiaomi has begun trialling its CyberOne humanoid robots on the production line at its Beijing electric vehicle (EV) factory. In a three-hour shift, the robots completed over 90% of assigned tasks, Xiaomi president Lu Weibing told CNBC.
The humanoid robots handle tasks like installing nuts and moving materials, keeping up with the factory’s fast pace, where a new car rolls off the assembly line every 76 seconds.
A PR video shows CyberOne robots working at both ends of the assembly line, carefully installing lug nuts. Although humans could do the task faster, the robots keeping pace with a 76-second production cycle is a significant milestone.
Lu Weibing described the CyberOne robots as “interns” rather than full workers and clarified that the bots are still being tested and not yet assigned official roles on the production line.
Xiaomi is among several Chinese companies advancing humanoid robotics. EV startup XPeng and smartphone maker Honor have also introduced their own humanoid robots, highlighting China’s rapidly expanding push in industrial automation.
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets estimate the global humanoid robot market could reach $9 trillion by 2050. China is expected to capture more than 60% of this market due to its early technological adoption.
China already uses more industrial robots than any other country. However, bipedal, AI-powered humanoid robots working alongside humans on fast-moving production lines present a new challenge, making Xiaomi’s trial particularly significant.
Lu Weibing said Xiaomi remains optimistic about robotics but acknowledged the market’s future is uncertain. The CyberOne robots, first unveiled in 2022, are not yet commercially available and continue to undergo refinement through ongoing trials.