Global automakers are accelerating the development and commercialization of humanoid robots, with Chinese companies leading the trend by unveiling their own in-house models.

According to industry sources on Tuesday, more than 10 global automakers are currently developing humanoid robots, including four Chinese firms. Each company is reportedly investing up to 20 trillion won ($14.5 billion).

While earlier attempts often failed to reach mass production, automakers in the electric vehicle (EV) era are pushing ahead with commercialization, leveraging their strengths in battery and autonomous driving technologies, which are crucial for humanoid functionality.

In April, BYD Co. introduced its self-developed humanoid robot, Boyobod, a house chore robot capable of tasks such as laundry and folding clothes.

More than a prototype, BYD plans to begin deliveries in December at a price of $10,000. The company is also accelerating development of industrial-use humanoids. It has announced a 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) investment in core humanoid technologies and launched recruitment for an in-house R&D team.

BYD also invested in PaXini Tech, a Chinese firm specializing in advanced tactile sensing systems.

XPeng Inc. has already developed its own humanoid, Iron, which is reportedly used in some assembly line tasks at its Guangzhou plant.

Standing 178 centimeters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, Iron resembles the human form and is equipped with XPeng’s own artificial intelligence (AI) operating system. The company also announced a 100 billion yuan investment in humanoid development and commercialization.

Other Chinese automakers are also entering the field.

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC) has developed the Gomate humanoid, while Chery Automobile Co. has created Aimoga robots and deployed them as sales assistants at dealerships in Malaysia. Legacy manufacturers like Great Wall Motor Co. and Dongfeng Motor Corp. are incorporating humanoids from local robotics firms such as Unitree Robotics and Ubtech Robotics Corp. into their production lines.

Meanwhile, established leaders in humanoid robotics, including Tesla Inc. with Optimus and Hyundai Motor Group with Boston Dynamics‘ Atlas, are ramping up efforts to deploy robots on production lines.

Unlike earlier models designed for repetitive tasks, these robots are being trained to perform multiple functions, as part of a strategy to maintain a technological edge over emerging Chinese rivals.

Tesla piloted two Optimus units on its assembly line last year, while Atlas is expected to join Hyundai’s production lines in the second half of this year.

Boston Dynamics recently partnered with Nvidia Corp. to accelerate AI training, and Hyundai Motor Group has stated plans to purchase tens of thousands of Atlas units in the future.

During the Consumer Electronics Show 2025 in Las Vegas earlier this year, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang predicted that a “ChatGPT moment” for robotics would arrive within the next two to three years.

He appeared on stage with humanoid robots from 14 companies partnering with Nvidia, including Iron from XPeng.

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