The world of humanoid robotics has officially entered its pilot season, with several major players taking the leap. Last year, Amazon began testing Agility’s Digit robots in select fulfillment centers, and this January, Figure announced a deal with BMW. Now, Apptronik is joining the fray, thanks to a partnership with Mercedes-Benz.

A Partnership Born

According to Apptronik, "as part of the agreement Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz will collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robotics in Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing." While specific figures have not been disclosed, this type of collaboration is a common occurrence in the industry. The number of systems included in a pilot are typically small, given the early nature of the technology.

A Win-Win Situation

These deals are considered a win-win for both parties involved. Apptronik can demonstrate clear interest from a leading automotive name, while Mercedes-Benz signals to customers and shareholders that it’s looking to the future. What comes next is what really matters. Should the pilot go well, causing the carmaker to put in a big order, that would be a massive feather in Apptronik’s cap – and the industry at large.

Humanoids: The Next Big Thing?

Humanoid robots have been drawing massive investor interest of late. Figure recently raised $675 million, bringing its valuation to $2.6 billion. The next couple of years will be vitally important for the continued success of these firms as they look to prove out meaningful ROI.

What Do the Robots Do?

Co-founder and CEO Jeff Cardenas notes in a release that Mercedes-Benz plans to use robotics and Apollo for automating some low-skill, physically challenging, manual labor – "a model use case which we’ll see other organizations replicate in the months and years to come." By ‘low skill,’ Cardenas likely refers to the level of labor these systems will replace. My guess is that it involves a lot of moving totes from point A to point B – something repetitive and physically taxing that is both essential and (relatively) easy to automate.

Nipping Criticism in the Bud

The other important part of ‘low skill’ is also likely an attempt to nip criticism of replacing human workers in the bud. We’re still a ways off from humanoids being able to do so in a meaningful way.

Apptronik: A University of Austin Spinout

Apptronik is a University of Austin spinout best known for its work on NASA’s Valkyrie humanoid robot.

The Future of Humanoid Robotics

The world of humanoid robotics has entered its pilot season, with Apptronik partnering with Mercedes-Benz. The success of this partnership will be crucial in determining the future of these firms and the industry at large.

AI News

• Figure rides the humanoid robot hype wave to $2.6B valuation
• The next couple of years will be vitally important for the continued success of these firms as they look to prove out meaningful ROI.

Related Topics

• AI
• Apptronik
• Humanoid
• Mercedes-Benz
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• Robotics
• Transportation