Mercedes-Benz Group AG has reportedly begun trialling a number of humanoid robots to carry out certain roles along its production line.
Robotics firm Apptronik unveiled an agreement with Mercedes on Friday to trial the technology, saying the German car maker would use it to automate some “low skill, physically challenging, manual labour” roles.
This is set to include having Apptronik’s robots inspect and deliver components to human workers along the production line.
Mercedes has become one of a number of carmakers to trial such robots as a result, with BMW assessing the technology at its South Carolina plant and Tesla developing its own Optimus humanoids.
“This is a new frontier and we want to understand the potential both for robotics and automotive manufacturing to fill labour gaps,” Mercedes’ production chief Jörg Burzer said.
This could “free up our highly skilled team members on the line to build the world’s most desirable cars,” he added.
Neither Mercedes nor Apptronik disclosed the value of the deal or how many robots will be used, though trials are said to have started at a factory in Hungary, as per the Financial Times.
Hungary itself has faced labour shortages in recent years on the back of emigration to Western Europe, with Mercedes having previously raised concerns over worker supply in 2019, alongside rival car maker Audi.
“To build the most desirable cars we continually evolve the future of automotive production,” Burzer added.
“Advancements in robotics and AI open up new opportunities also for us.”
Photo from Apptronik