BMW expands humanoid robot trials - Automotive News

The humanoid‑robot sector is surging in 2026, with Chinese firms cementing a global lead while Western companies accelerate deployment and investment. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 1, Chinese phone‑maker Honor unveiled its first humanoid service robot alongside a “Robot Phone,” signalling a push into consumer‑facing robotics. Chinese policy continues to drive growth: a 2023 ministry document labels humanoids a “disruptive product” and sets targets through 2027 for AI brains, motion‑control systems and mass‑produced platforms, while the country recorded more than 451,000 robotics firms and $884 billion in capital by the end of 2024. Leading Chinese developers—including AGIBOT, Fourier, Huawei, Leju and Unitree—are showcasing new models such as AGIBOT’s X2 and G2, Unitree’s G1 and Leju’s Kuavo series at the Automation World Expo in Seoul, underscoring rapid commercialization across industrial, logistics, medical and public‑service applications. In the United States, BMW is scaling its humanoid trials after its Figure AI units logged over 1,250 hours and moved 90,000 parts in ten months, while AI2 Robotics raised roughly $145 million to expand its AlphaBot embodied‑AI platform and increase production from 1,000 to 10,000 units annually. Hyundai’s Robotics Lab highlighted the “MobED” mobile robot—awarded at CES 2026—and will present it at the same Seoul expo, linking humanoid technology with broader AI‑driven logistics. Meanwhile, industry analysts caution that the human form factor remains mechanically complex and less reliable than purpose‑built robots, noting safety‑standard challenges and the higher stability of specialized AMRs, cobots and delta machines. Overall, 2026 marks a transition from experimental demos to larger‑scale deployments, with China spearheading market share and Western firms rapidly scaling trials and securing financing to catch up.

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