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Apptronik, a humanoid robot manufacturer based in Austin, has won a contract to supply its Apollo robots for Mercedes-Benz's production line.
Why it matters: First-generation humanoid robots are storming into real-life industrial settings — making the leap from science fiction to the factory floor, writes Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson.
- Austin-based Tesla has been developing its Optimus humanoid, and Austin-based Diligent Robotics hopes its robots will assist nurses.
Driving the news: Mercedes-Benz "is exploring potential use cases for Apollo humanoid robots in logistics," according to the companies' announcement, with trials already underway in Hungary.
- The robot will bring parts to the production line for workers to assemble, and inspect components.
- Later, it will deliver totes of kitted parts for use in the manufacturing process. (See a video of Apollo in action.)
What they're saying: "Long term, really the sky's the limit in terms of what these types of systems will be able to do," Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas told Axios last year.
- Apptronik also has a partnership with NASA "to accelerate commercialization" of Apollo.
Between the lines: There's ambient concern that robots might replace humans in jobs, and bottom-line-oriented corporations are grappling with how to couch the shift to workers and the general public.
- Apollo is meant to automate "some physically demanding, repetitive and dull tasks for which it is increasingly hard to find reliable workers," Mercedes and Apptronik noted in their press release.