"Automakers Expect Synergy Between Humanoid Robots and Future Vehicle Technologies"

It has been analyzed that automakers can create synergy effects by developing humanoid robots.

Tesla Robot. Photo by Yonhap News Agency and Reuters

On January 23, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute stated in its report, "Humanoid Robots and Automobiles: Moving Toward the Future," that "global automakers can expect synergy effects with future vehicle technologies and improved manufacturing process efficiency through the development and application of humanoid robot technologies."

Autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles share common requirements with humanoid robots, such as hardware like motors, batteries, and reducers, as well as software for perception and control functions, and communication technologies (IT).

A representative example is Honda’s "Riding Assist," developed in 2017 using the balance control technology from its humanoid robot ASIMO. This technology enables a motorcycle to balance itself. At CES 2025, Honda also announced that it would name its in-house vehicle operating system "ASIMO OS" and would apply autonomous behavior control technologies accumulated during robot development to its next-generation electric vehicles.

Additionally, automotive manufacturing sites, which require large-scale labor and diverse tasks, are well-suited for accumulating the data needed for robot development. In particular, the assembly process in automotive manufacturing is considered to have high potential for utilizing humanoids. Lee Seohyun, a senior researcher at the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, explained, "The assembly process is highly complex and requires flexibility and precision in movements, necessitating a human-like appearance and actions. This makes it difficult to introduce industrial robots and similar technologies."

In fact, the automation rate of the assembly process at Hyundai Motor’s Asan plant is around 15%, which is lower than that of the press process (90%), body process (80%), and painting process (70%). As a result, global automakers, including Hyundai Motor Group, have entered the humanoid robot market early on.

Researcher Lee noted, "The general assessment is that the United States ranks first in terms of technology, followed by China in second place. Chinese companies are actively investing to overcome their technological disadvantage through large-scale commercialization." She also suggested, "For humanoid robots to be widely used in spaces shared with humans, it is necessary to develop standards that ensure safety and reliability, and to establish criteria for liability in the event of accidents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.