by At its Berlin factory, Mercedes-Benz is testing humanoid robots from the American company Apptronik. The Apollo robots are responsible for logistics, quality control, and assistance with routines on the production line. Company employees helped train the robots through teleoperation and augmented reality. For decades, car factories have used massive robots for car production. Now, some of these factories are raising the bar with advanced humanoid robots.
Mercedes-Benz is the latest car manufacturer to join this initiative, starting trials of such robots at one of its German sites. While there is always concern that robots might start stealing jobs, the good news for Mercedes employees is that their positions seem to be safe — at least for now. The robots in question come from Apptronik, a company based in the USA founded in 2016 at the Robotics Laboratory of the Human-Centered Center at the University of Texas. Mercedes-Benz has invested tens of millions of dollars in this company and is now using its Apollo robots at the Berlin-Marienfelde plant, deploying them right away. Apollo is first used for internal logistics and focuses on routines.
For example, they can transport components or modules to the production line, where skilled technicians assemble and install them into cars. They can also be used for initial inspections of parts. It’s not quite a sci-fi movie scenario, but it’s a glimpse into what the future of factory work might look like. Humans and Robots Working Together
Interestingly, Mercedes employees don’t just stand by and watch as robots do all the work, as they were involved in training the Apollo robots using teleoperation and augmented reality. This process allowed robots to learn to work autonomously, reducing the need for constant supervision.
And here’s an interesting point: if the Apollo robots run out of energy, they can simply plug in and recharge. That seems a bit too convenient, doesn’t it? The Mercedes-Benz digital factory campus also uses advanced artificial intelligence. There is now a Digital Factory Ecosystem Chatbot on site, allowing employees to access production databases and even ask questions about best practice manufacturing methods and equipment maintenance. More Automakers Following the Path
Mercedes-Benz is not the only automaker testing the waters with such technology.
Tesla continues to develop its own humanoid robot, while BMW began using advanced robots at its South Carolina plant last year. And in 2024, presented a robot powered by artificial intelligence at its factory. Similar to Apollo, the Dongfeng robot assists with inspection and logistics, proving that the future of manufacturing is becoming inexorably more robotic every day.
